TAA Special Edition: A League Of Their Own
by PurplePiplup
Summary: Sort of a 5th season based in the Hoenn region. Rating for later chapters. Introduces a lot more depth to numerous characters. (I LIIIVE! Ep. 8 uploaded 08.31.04)
1. A Phone Call Away

**A League Of Their Own**  
An all-new style; Including a new world, new battles, and even new clothes.  
_A/N: OK ladies and gents! This is my first fic based in the Hoenn region, and I'm going to attempt to make it as original as possible…Please don't kill me if it suddenly starts to die down. Hopefully…I shall make this good. Well…Onward!_

Sun, sun, sun and Eevy. Just what one Lance Ryujin wanted on a beautiful late summer day. That and maybe a glass of iced tea, but just the same…He laid contentedly on the porch swing, slowly swaying front to back. Well, he had his sun and tea, but no Eevy. She seemed to have aptly disappeared on him. He frowned and closed his eyes, listening to the chirping Swablu in the distance. There was a sudden closer chirp from above him and he looked up, pleasantly surprised by the sight.

"Hello," he waved his fingers, "Finally come out of hiding?"

"I wasn't hiding," Eevy contradicted, "I was working."

"All this time? Tisk-tisk, Evangelina," he scolded, shaking his finger at her, "Too much work and no play makes Eevy bitchy and Lance lonely."

"Humph…" she turned away and crossed her arms, "It makes _me_ productive and _you_ nothing but hormonal."

"I resent that remark," he puffed.

"No, you resemble it."

"Commere, you," he dragged her over the back of the swing and sat her firmly down in his lap, "What, might I ask, were you working on all this time?"

She swatted at him as he buried his face in her hair and kissed her shoulder, "New information on Hoenn. And that's…Part of why I'm here," she pushed him away, suddenly nervous.

"Oh? What about Hoenn?" he questioned, tugging her back.

"Uh…" she shoved him back and got quickly to her feet, brushing her shirt down and clearing her throat, "K…Kratos wants…Me to…Go to Hoenn," she choked out.

"Really? Sounds like a plan," he shrugged, "So…When are we leaving?"

"Um…_We_ aren't," she sweatdropped, turning away and poking her index fingers together.

"Huh?" he went totally blank in the face, tilting his head, "What do you mean?"

"Y…You're not going," she moved quickly away, making her index fingers into an X, "Please don't blow up!"

"Y…You mean to tell me, Kratos is shipping you out to Hoenn, where none of us have ever been before, _alone_? Without even an Elite member to watch out for you?" he blinked twice, "Is he _insane_?!"

"Well…I'm not exactly going _alone_ either…" she murmured, eyes darting side to side.

He hopped off the swing, placing his hands firmly on his hips, "Well, if _I'm_ not going, who is?"

She inched farther and farther away, swallowing hard, "Uh…Three others, actually…Pretty well-known too. And powerful, yes. Very powerful…And Kratos gave me a choice and I wanted you here to watch the League while I'm away…"

"Evangelina Chenoweth Hikoboshi…" he sighed, taking her shoulders, "_Who_ is going with you?"

She cringed at the use of her full name and blurted out the names of Lance's next three victims, "Gary, Richie and Ash!"

She covered her mouth with both hands as his eyes got wider…And wider…And wider… "WHAT?!"

*^~^**^~^*

Lance wobbled stiffly through the front door, past Medira, Luri and Jason, and tipsily entered the conference room to holler at Kratos. Eevy stepped in after him, attempting to look as innocent as possible. Didn't quite work, however, and her eyes immediately focused up to the top of the stairwell. Will leaned one arm on the banister and placed his free hand on his Xatu's head. He shook his head slowly and Eevy shrugged with a stupid smile. In the conference room…

"You _can't_ let her go with them," Lance shook his head, "They're not strong enough to protect her."

"They're more than capable, Ryujin," Kratos shook his head, "As long as she believes them to be, my instincts will follow."

"Well then I'm sorry to contradict both you and her, sir, but those…_Boys_ are no more fit to be her companions than Peter Rubeus was to be Champion."

Kratos' left eyebrow went up, "Do you _honestly_, _wholeheartedly_, believe that?" he questioned, crossing his arms, "Richard Captura owns as many badges as you do. Garick Oak has some of the most well-bred Pokemon known. Ashura Ketchum is-"

"Please," Lance raised his hand, "You don't need to continue. I understand they're all high-ranking and that they're all skilled trainers, but we Elite are much more suited for this kind of assignment."

"Assignment?" Kratos leaned back, "Is that all Evangelina is to you? An assignment?"

Lance blinked, turning a furious shade of red, "Of course not, but-"

"No? It certainly seems that way, the way you're talking," he crossed his arms, "Evangelina chose Captura, Oak and Ketchum for herself; I had nothing to do with her selection. She wants you, Logos, Sedna, Peruwa and Kurayami here to mind the League whilst she's away."

"What about _you_?" he questioned haughtily, "_You_ could watch the League just as well as any of us."

"Maybe, but she specifically requested that _you_ take over for her. Basically, you'll all temporarily be bumped up a notch in the standings and you'll act with me as you used to."

Lance looked off to the side, "I really don't think this is such a good idea," he shook his head, "We've heard about Team Aqua and Team Magma and all the problems that place is facing…"

"Yes, we have, but Evangelina is part of the solution," Kratos leaned forward and put his hands together, "She is being sent over there not only as a witness to the League's prowess, but also as an official officer. She and her companions will be scanning the area for faults, recording what they see, and mastering the new area as for us to place it in the library and for us to get the guidebooks made."

"Basically what you're saying is they're a search party, going out there to fish around for anything and everything they can feast their eyes, ears and hands on."

Kratos glared lowly, "In ways, yes. But they'll also be researching the new Pokemon and new skills. Hoenn is very different from Kanto, Johto, the Orange Archipelago and Gertan Rin."

"I know that, sir, but I-"

"No, no I don't think you do," he put in quickly, "If you did, you'd understand just why she's going. There is nothing more to discuss," he waved his hand toward the door, "If you want to talk more about it, discuss it with Mistress Hikoboshi."

"Yes, sir," Lance grunted and stomped toward the door.

"Oh, and Ryujin…" Kratos called, causing Lance to stop in mid-reach for the doorknob, "I didn't ask her to go…She volunteered."

*^~^**^~^*

Eevy sat quietly in her chair, running a brush through her hair and contemplating how to ask Ash, Richie and Gary if they'd like to go to Hoenn as she was planning to. She also had to figure out how to keep Lance from killing the three of them. _That_ was easier said than done. She paused and turned slowly around as the door opened and closed. She tilted an eyebrow as Lance glared partially at her.

"You lied to me…" he murmured, shaking his head.

"He told you…" she frowned, also shaking her head.

"Again…"

"He wasn't supposed to tell you…"

"_Why_ do you _insist_ on lying to me…?"

"I don't."

"Then _why_ can't you _ever_ tell me the truth?" he snapped slightly, "First about Taylor, then about just about all of your past, and I don't know how many lies in between."

"If this is about Lee-"

"It's not _just_ about Lee," he pushed in, "I just want you to be _honest_ with me."

"I know you do…" she crossed her arms tightly and sat back down, "And I'm sorry I've lied to you so much, but I really do care about you."

"Are you sure?" he questioned, one eye narrowing, "Because I'm beginning to wonder just what you're _really_ like. Like if you've lied to me about that too."

"_You_ are the one who listened to Raikou and wound up almost totally ruining us," she spat.

"_You_ are the one who didn't tell me you almost carried Andiron's kid."

"_You_ are the one who conveniently never brought up your relationships with Karkota and Hydra."

"_You_ are the one who "neglected to mention" the most important part of your past."

"I'm not going to fight with you," she turned away and looked back in the mirror of her dresser.

"Well neither am I," he walked across the room to his own dresser and sat down, facing away.

"Geez…Are you _sure_ you two aren't married?" Will snickered, his voice flowing through Eevy's mind.

"Shut it, you," Eevy hissed for all she was worth, "_You_ are not of any help."

"Ah, you'll survive," she watched his self-projection shrug, "Everybody has _some_ relationship problems. _Yours_ are minimal."

"Oh? And just _what_ would the larger ones be?" she grumbled, futzing with a comb.

"Oh, I dunno…Maybe lechery, abuse, divorce…I could keep going if you'd like."

She grunted and mentally gave him a punch in the gut, which only caused him to grin wider. She cleaned her nails for a moment and watched what she now knew was a Taillow flap past the window, calling out repeatedly. It was a pretty cute Pokemon, she'd decided, and she was sure to see quite a few more when she arrived in Hoenn. She just wished she could make Lance understand why she chose for him to stay behind before she had to leave. She jingled her Crystal Bell slightly and glanced over her shoulder at him, only to watch him turn an angry red and turn away. She herself looked away, then standing and wandering toward the door to her closet, beside his dresser.

"Hey…What are you doing?" he questioned, suddenly intent on watching her.

"Packing," she answered simply, digging around and dragging out a few pieces of clothing and her old, worn-out backpack.

"Oh…" he shrugged and went on about his previous activity of polishing his Elite Fourth trophy.

The room remained pretty much silent for the next few minutes. Eevy folded her clothes and Lance continued shining. It was when Eevy made it a point to take one of their most recent photos and place it in her bag that Lance spoke up.

"I'm sorry I-"

"Yeah, me too…"

"I just-I-"

"I know…"

"Sorry I said-"

"So am I…"

"I understand why-"

"I'm glad…"

"Why won't you let me-?"

"Because I know what you'll say…"

They smiled weakly and he turned the chair around, patting his knees. She zipped up her pack and sat down in his lap, her feet suspended a few inches from the floor on the right side of the chair. He wrapped his arms around her and she leaned on him, soothed all the more by the steady rise and fall of his chest. He patted her back carefully, resting his chin on her head.

"How long?"

"However long it takes."

"Would you…Try to make it quick for me?"

"For us, yes."

"I'll miss you, Evangelina. But you'll be back."

"I'll miss you too, Lance. And I _will_ be back."

*^~^**^~^*

"Ring-ring-ring! Ring-ring-ring! Phone call! Phone call! Ring-ring-ring! Ring-ring-ring! Phone call! Phone call! Ring-ring-ring! Ring-ring-ring!"

Someone…Please make it stop…There we go! A young woman balanced the cordless phone under her left ear and on her shoulder while mixing up a baby bottle full of special milk for her pride and joy; a baby Eevee. OK, so it wasn't just hers. This little infant Eevee had come from one of the very few times she allowed her Pokemon to breed with someone else's. She was a top Pokemon Breeder and preferred to do things her own way, but felt this would be a good time not to go solo for a change, as it seemed little Vova really liked that other Eevee. Obviously she had, as it had resulted in Vova's first offspring. With one blue and one green eye, Velva the newborn was now a source of constant energy and attentiveness. Now if only she'd stop gnawing the furniture…

"Hello? Yes, this is Chenille," Chenille Farrago nearly tripped over Govo as he shot past her foot, "Oh, Eevy. Hello," she ran her hand through her hair, "It's none of your business why _I'm_ here, and yes, he's here too. I'll go get him."

"Tell him it's kind of important, OK?" Eevy picked at her nails, still chatting with Chenille as she worked her way around Pokemon to the backdoor, "So how's Velva?"

"As spunky as ever. Vova's a very good mother. Is Vovo impressed that he's a great grandfather?"

"To a degree."

"I figured as much. Hang on a sec," she leaned out the back door, "Gary! Eevy's on the phone!" she waved the phone out the door.

"Tell her I'll be right there!" he tugged on the frisbee his Eevee was pulling on, then dropped it, "Fine, be that way. I have to take a phone call," he waved his hand at his Pokemon as he crouched on the ground, furiously shaking the toy side to side.

Gary hopped up the back steps, smiled briefly at Chenille, then took the phone, almost stepping on Velva, "Watch it!" Chenille shrieked, scooping the baby Eevee up, "Be more careful, big foot!"

Gary glared at her, then quickly putting the phone to his ear, "Hello, Eevy. What can I do for you?"

"Well, I have a question for you. And I'll warn you now that it'll involve you leaving Chenille to come with me for a while," she blinked twice, then realized the way she said that was definitely _not_ the best.

"Uh…I don't think Chenille would really approve of that…"

"I _knew_ your tiny male mind would see that wrong," she rolled her eyes, "Well, Kratos is actually shipping me off-"

"Not to America, I should hope?"

She grunted lowly, "_No_, not to America. This one's to Hoenn."

"Hoenn? Isn't that the place with all the new Pokemon? The one you were investigating when we went to the US, now that I think."

"Yes, that's the one," she replied, "Anyway, Kratos wants me to head out there and check it out. He wants me to get a feel for the place and he's given me the opportunity to take three companions with me."

"Oh? Then I would presume the reason you called is to ask me to go," he grinned wide at the receiver.

Eevy smirked brightly, "Very good. That's one of the reasons I picked you; you're very intuitive and very smart."

"Thank you, thank you, kind miss."

She snickered quietly, away from the phone and away from Lance, who was hovering by her side, "And you teeter on the verge of suave when you try."

"Thank you again. And thank you for inviting me. I'd very much like to go."

"It's my pleasure. I'll meet you at your place there in Viridian early this Saturday morning. I will warn you though, Garick…" she paused and let that nasty shade sweep over her features, "Ashura will most likely be joining us."

Gary snickered, then laughed, then began a thunderous chuckle that startled poor Velva so as she ran behind Chenille's chair, "Oh perfect!" he clapped.

*^~^**^~^*

"Ring-ring-ring! Ring-ring-ring! Phone call! Phone call! Ring-ring-ring! Ring-ring-ring! Phone call! Phone call! Ring-ring-ring! Ring-ring-ring! Phone call…"

Oh no…Not again…A small yellow Pokemon with a kinked tail scuttled under his Trainer's pillow, burying his super-sensitive ears in the fluffy abyss. His Trainer sat groggily up, heard the phone stop ringing, and flopped back, the hat on the bedpost falling to the floor. The Trainer on the bed on the other side of the room sleepily scratched his back, yawning wide and patting his own yellow Pokemon before drifting off again. The Breeder sleeping on the bunk above the Trainer first mentioned was sprawled flat out, muttering frivolities about seemingly random girls. Snoring soon followed, but a shout also joined in the chorus of noise.

"Ash! Telephone!" came a chirpy voice from down the stairs and through the closed door, "_Ash_! _Telephone_!" a slight bark followed.

There was a grunt, a polite excuse to set the phone down, and a series of thuds. Each became steadily louder, the source approaching rapidly. The door suddenly burst open, slamming on the wall, and an angered mother kept her left hand on the door and her right on her hip, an ever-apparent scowl pasted on her face and focused on her one and only son, now sitting dead-straight up in his bed, as were his companions.

"Ashura Satoshi Ketchum!" Delia snapped, quite an unusual occurrence for her, "You have a phone call, and I expect you to get out of bed and get it right this instant!"

"What time is it?" Ash groaned, partially able to ignore the use of his full name due to "_early-morning_" deliria.

"It _happens_ to be almost eleven o'clock. Get up _now_," she stormed back down the staircase and, after a few minutes as Ash, Brock and Richie dressed, again hollered, "_Ashura_! If I have to walk away from this oven one more time!"

"Coming, mom!" Ash brushed his hat off and popped it on his head, "Sorry about that, guys. My mom's real strict about food preparation."

"So we've seen…" Richie blinked twice, "Come on, Sparky. Rise and shine," he placed his Pikachu on his head after donning his own cap.

"Pika-chu!" Sparky called as Pikachu hopped up on Ash's head, "Pikachu!"

"Pika-pika! Pikapi!" Pikachu grinned.

Brock grabbed his vest and ran out the door after them as they filed slowly down the stairs. Richie continued past Ash, heading down the steps to the basement, where he was sure to find Kayla. She'd taken what seemed to be a permanent liking to the downstairs games, as well as to Richie himself. She'd managed some time before to leave her dreams of running Rose Town Gym to pursue Pallet Town for him. Brock wandered off to the kitchen to check if there was any way to calm the raging Delia without getting into a fight with Mimie, Delia's Mr. Mime. Ash stopped at the phone and slowly picked it up.

"This is Ash. Sorry I didn't come right away," he scratched the back of his head, "Kinda had some technical difficulties."

Misty, who was sitting on the couch eating a muffin and watching TV, rolled her eyes and continued laughing at the crazy cartoon. She burst out laughing and pointed out to her Togepi how that exact thing had once happened to Ash. He snorted at her from behind, only causing her to laugh harder.

"Technical difficulties, huh?" the caller asked, attracting his attention again, "Like what? Get your leg wrapped up in your comforter?"

He scowled slightly, eyes narrowing, "Hello, Evangelina."

Eevy snickered nastily, half because of the way he said that, half because he knew her just by her voice and sense of humor, "How are you, Ashy-boy?"

"I'd be much better if you'd not call me that."

"Oh, it's only a joke," she shook her head, "Could you have Richie pick up on the other phone? I need to talk to him too."

"Uh, sure…" Ash pulled open the basement door, "Hey, Richie! Eevy's on the phone! Can you pick up the other line down there?"

"Um…Yeah. Just a sec…" Richie desperately squirmed away from Kayla and tripped across the room, grabbing the phone and squeaking slightly because straightening his voice out, "_Kay_la…Ahem…Says hello, Eevy."

"Hmm…I'm sure she does," Eevy sniggered, "Anyway, I've got a question for you two."

"Shoot," they sounded together.

"Kratos is kinda sending me on a little trip-"

"Not to America, right?" Ash asked quickly, "I want nothing to do with that _ever_ again."

"No, not to America, you baka…" she would have slapped him, had she been able to, "But it _does_ apply, sort of, to some of the League work I was doing over there."

"Oh, just what I wanted to hear…" he groaned.

"Actually…" Eevy swallowed and pondered if just telling them really _was_ the right approach, as she'd decided to do; Gary was a different matter, as she felt she could just throw things at him better than she could these two, "Th-This has to do with Hoenn…"

"Hoenn?" Richie was first to question, "Isn't that the place southeast of Gertan Rin, southwest of Johto and Kanto, and northeast of the Orange Archipelago?"

"You know your geography," Eevy noted, "Yes, that's the place."

"From what I understand, it's a huge place," Ash put in.

"Yes, it's a very large plot of land," Eevy agreed, "And offers a wide variety of new Pokemon."

"Awesome…So what'd you want to know?" Ash asked.

"Well…Like I said; Kratos is kinda shipping me off again…And this time he's shipping me and three companions out to Hoenn. He wants us to check it out; get a feel of the place; study it."

"You lucky dog," Richie sighed, "What an amazing opportunity."

"And what does this have to do with the two of us?" Ash again inquired.

"Like I said again; Kratos is allowing me three traveling buddies…" she started.

"Uh huh…" they both murmured, still oblivious to what she was saying.

"And I decided to pick three of my closest friends, but not Morty, Eusine or Lance, strangely enough…"

"Uh huh…"

"So…"

"Uh huh…"

"Well?"

"Well what?"

She facefaulted right out of her chair and grumbled, "I'm beginning to regret making you two of my primary choices…"

"Y-You're asking us to go?" Richie's eyes widened significantly, "Seriously?!"

"You want us to go to Hoenn with you?!" Ash blurted, alerting Misty, Brock and Delia, who poked their heads closer.

"Oh my! It clicked…" she rolled her eyes.

"I'd _love_ to go, Eevy!" Richie nodded, quick to reply and even quicker to cheer, "Thank you! And thanks for considering me as one of your first choices. It really means a lot."

"Yeah! You better believe I want to go!" Ash smiled crazily at the phone, "And Richie's right. It means more than you could imagine."

"OK, don't get fluffy. Lance is standing next to me," she grinned, "So I'll see you this Saturday at your place, OK? It's gonna be early, so you'd best not have anymore technical difficulties."

"Aheh…Yeah…" Ash sweatdropped, "Before you go, just out of curiosity, who's our partner going to be?"

"Uh…" Eevy choked, swallowing hard, "You…Don't really want to know _that_!" she laughed nervously.

"Yes we do," Richie contradicted, "Come on, Eevy. Who is it?"

"G…Uh…Gary Oak…?" she murmured quietly in a barely audible whisper.

Richie held the phone a good three feet away from his ear, as he knew what was coming, and still heard Ash scream as plain as day, "WHAT?!"

*^~^*Chapter 1: End…*^~^*

__

A/N: La-de-dah…An entire chapter and they haven't even left yet. Well…At least it was a teensy bit interesting. I have some major touch-ups to do in the next chapter concerning some outfits, so I'm off to work some more. Joy.

*^~^*Pro_V*^~^*  
-=O~The Pokemon~O=-  
**Next Up:** TAA Season 5 ~ A League Of Their Own *Episode 2* ~ Setting Off  
TAA Pokemon Of The Month: October 2003: Misdreavus

**Saying this just for giggles, since it's in my FF.net Bio and on my website: I DO NOT OWN POKEMON. So there.**


	2. Setting Off

**A League Of Their Own: Episode #2**  
An all-new style; Including a new world, new battles, and even new clothes.  
_A/N: Eepers...oO This is kinda late, so I'd better make this note quick. Just wanna say you may want to read the end note when you're done, m'kay? Now, ONWARD!_

Friday nights. Usually a busy night for the Elite 4, Medio Mistress and Champion. But this Friday was different. The very next day, Eevy would be on her way to Hoenn to study the new League and to add a whole new world to her life's experiences. She and her five Elite-ranking companions of Rainbow Mansion had spent the afternoon together, mostly discussing just how things would run while she was away, but at the tail end of every one of these conversations, there was the obligatory "We'll miss you, Eevy". That was only going to make this harder, but she couldn't help but always reply with the dead fact that she'd miss them as well. Why hide it? They _were_ five of her very best friends, even if they _had_ turned against her, accused her of dismissing family as nothing, considered her a mortal enemy for receiving a mother's praise, tried to eat her mind from the inside-out like cake, and accused her of being nothing but a liar. In the end, all of this had been worked out, and they had all remained the best of friends.

Now that the afternoon had faded to night, the city slept. Or most of it, anyway. Will was sitting in the library, reading Stephen King, Medira and Jason were on the roof, stargazing at the sky and at each other, Luri was talking on the videophone to both Lorelei and Shuuken, and Kratos was busy planning Eevy's departure. Eevy herself, on the other hand, was resting tightly against "her" Dragon Master, firmly "safe" in his arms. The very slightest movement Lance made would wake her, but he wanted her to sleep. Even if it meant the last few moments he spent in bed with her for the next month or so were spent regaining blood circulation in his right arm.

He looked lovingly down on her, fighting not to allow his gaze to flow beneath the blanket that was her only cover. She had strict rules about peeking and would know he'd done so by the red flush that would come to his ears upon her first look at him in the morning. He didn't want those ears redder from her tormenting of yelling and yanking, especially on the day she was to leave. The very sight of just one strand of her double-toned hair was enough to fill him with nothing but the want to hold her tighter and love her all over again. How he had managed to contain himself at times like these, when he could not only see every lock of her hair, but couldn't miss the scent of her perfume and the sensation of her skin directly on his, he may never know, but he seemed to do very well.

She huddled closer, tucking her head under his chin, her lips brushing his throat, and breathing deep. Even sleeping, she smiled. While buried deep in dreamland, she still knew the combination of his soap, shampoo and aftershave. Such a rush to her senses caused her eyes to flutter open, and she stared at him, as he seemingly had drifted off. She looked over his face, his strong features, his now muddled mess of pastel purple hair, and his well-kept muscles. Just the thought of his touch made her melt. Had his eyes been open, she would also have been absorbed into that sandy-brown gaze of his. Soft and gentle, yet strong and passionate. When she'd told him she'd selected Ashura "The Kid" Ketchum instead of him to travel through Hoenn with, the hurt in those eyes was oh-so apparent. Of course, she had her own paralyzing gaze; eyes of sky and earth that with a single glance could sooth his every frazzled nerve. He always said it was in her eyes just what he loved; her bright and positively _heavenly_ spirit. Her eyes seemed alive on their own, always watching and always examining whatever they could cast their vivid irises on. Lance loved how lively, witty, funny, and exceptionally gorgeous she was. And she knew he enjoyed their nighttime fiascos, not to mention the positively _cold_ shots of jealous and lusting eyes that practically catapulted their way. Still, they constantly dueled over who loved who more, though it never amounted to anything more than a fight over who was on top that night. She puffed a bit of stray hair out of her eyes, acknowledging yet again that she had fallen so deeply in love with someone other than Lee.

And she was going to be separate from him for who knows how long.

"No matter how long you stare at me, it won't change anything," she jumped slightly as his left eye opened and that side of his mouth kinked up in a small grin.

She blinked twice and snuggled closer, closing her eyes and listening to his heartbeat. Every moment she was close to him, her right hand on his cheek, his heart went faster and faster. No matter how much time they spent together, no matter how many times they told each other they loved each other, and no matter how many times they agreed that it wouldn't be a lifetime, they continued to come to the conclusion that it just wasn't enough.

"I know…" she murmured sadly, "I swear I won't be gone long. But I never thought it'd be this hard to go just for a little while, and…" she trailed off and squirmed closer, pressing her forehead against his chest, "I can't stand the thought of being so far away from you for even a minute."

His mind was torn now; he was pleased that she loved him so much, but completely destroyed that she was crying and that they'd be apart, "You'll be back…Just keep telling yourself that. You know it's true," he ran one hand through her hair, "I love you, Evangelina," he pushed her chin up and carefully kissed her, "And not even the distance to the other side of the world could change that."

That was it; she was lost in his eyes again, "I…Love you too, Lance," she hesitated, due to the fact she couldn't find her voice she was so completely mislaid, but she _didn't_ hesitate to lean up and kiss him.

He reached around her and gripped the blanket at her back. He would have tugged her closer, but she was already pressed right against him. With almost furious force, she pushed him over and scrambled on top of him.

"OK…Scratch that," she puffed a tangle of hair out of her face, taking his chin in her hands, "I _love_ you, Lance."

He blinked twice, slowly taking her elbows and easing her off to the side, "Calm down," he whispered, leaning down over her, "We're both being stupid. This isn't going to end because you have a business trip to take," she started to squirm, but he laid down on her, hugging her still, "I love you, Eevy. Just don't forget it and don't worry. Everything is going to be fine. When you come back, I'll be waiting right on the porch for you, flower in hand, and until that time…I'll have nothing but you on my mind. You know it's true," he turned her chin, freezing her with his gaze, "Because I love you."

Without even the slightest objection, and what felt like not a care in the world, she just let herself go; into his eyes and into his love again.

*^~^**^~^*

Lance rolled slowly over, prepared to yank Eevy over and tell her he loved her again, but his hand met only the bed. He yawned and sat up, searching left to right. His vision still blurry, he couldn't see very well, but was sure he could spot her. Yet…He didn't. The bathroom was dark, the door was closed and not locked from the inside, and the curtains were still closed. He scratched the back of his head and squinted at the clock. Six thirty. Oy…If Eevy wasn't missing in action, he would have laid right back down and gone back to sleep. He stretched and pulled on his pajama bottoms, hopping on one foot over to the window while pulling on his slippers. He pushed the curtains aside, shading his eyes with his hand and peering down into the backyard. Well, she wasn't there…He then looked up and spotted her, his eyes having finally adjusted. Though she was far off, he could most definitely tell it was her.

Eevy took a deep breath of the early morning air, wondering if Ash and the others had gotten any sleep the night before while thinking about Hoenn. She was almost positive that Ash would have been awake all night long, staring at his ceiling and irritating Richie and Brock with his constant comments. She looked down at her black zipper runners and rolled white socks and clicked her heels together. She'd condemned herself to buying new shoes suitable for climbing and hiking, due to the fact that she had no _clue_ what the terrain in Hoenn was like. She'd also succumbed herself to a new outfit. Her shirt lacked the darker collar, but had gained an extra few inches on her sleeves, bringing them down to mid-arm. It was still pink however, and her pants may have been shorter and tighter, coming just below her knees, but they were still the same dark denim. A light purple ribbon dangled from her left arm, near her shoulder, and on her right thigh; the only things she wore reminiscent of her cloak. Her hair hung loose down her back, except for the fact that it was tied with another ribbon, this one dark blue, just a few inches from the end. Her bangs were pulled off to the left, hooked with a dark blue barrette. She was still easily recognized, but this outfit permitted most weather and terrain, so she was putting up with it. She looked off into the Moss Bogs and pondered how long it would be before she saw them again and how much they would have changed by then.

"Still dead set on leaving?"

She turned quickly to her right and looked up into the double-green colored gaze of her psychic link, "Yeah," she nodded slowly, "What are you doing up here? And so early."

"Your mind is racing and making mine ache," Will shrugged, slowly sitting down beside her, "You could always tell Kratos no, you know."

"Did Lance send you?" she questioned.

"No, I can sense that you don't want to leave. You worked hard to get where you are, and by doing this, you feel you're walking away from it all," he banged his heels on the outside of the wall.

She looked at him and blinked twice, "You didn't even read my mind to know that, did you?" he glanced off at her and adjusted his gloves, "I didn't think so."

"Trust me, Eevy. Checking Hoenn out isn't leaving this. You'll still be our Champion when you come back. All you're doing by going is bettering yourself even more," he yawned slightly, "The stuff you'll learn in Hoenn will definitely help you run the League. And before you even ask, you run it perfectly now, so getting better will make you greater than great."

She smiled weakly, "We own the League, but we don't run it. Kratos tells me I'm to battle for the new Badges and get myself in to face the Elite and Champion. I don't know about that…" she shuttered, "If I lose to them, they'll have the option of broadcasting my loss to every single city in the Four Corners, Gertan Rin, the Orange Archipelago and Hoenn. Not only will I be destroyed, so will the Rainbow Ring and you guys."

"You doubt yourself _way_ too much," he sighed, "Do you know how far you came in the short while you were training before you got to us? You did what most trainers who work for years have a hard time doing. It took me two tries to get into the Elite and it took Lance like five. And you've been training for a while _after_ you defeated us. You're powerful, Eevy, whether you think so or not. You just have to trust your Pokemon and your own abilities. Plus Raikou."

"Thank you, Will," she stuck her hand out, awaiting him to get the gist to shake it, "That actually helped."

"I know. My head isn't pounding _quite_ as hard now."

*^~^**^~^*

Eevy ate a quick breakfast with Will in the city, knowing Lance would be flaming, but hadn't cared. From there, she went to the basement gym and started idly punching and thinking.

"I'm ready. I'm ready to take on Hoenn. I _know_ I can do this, because I am Evangelina Hikoboshi," she elbowed the wall and stepped back, "Sister to Morty of Ecruteak City Gym, cousin to the Eusine, the World's foremost expert on all Pokemon Legends. I've come too far to go down now, and I _refuse_ to lose to a bunch of newbies," she played a quick round kick and landed with both fists up, "I am ready."

She stretched, grabbed her water bottle, and hauled herself up the stairs. She grabbed her pack after slipping her water into the side holder and bounced out the door past Luri, who saluted with a laugh. She bounded down the porch stairs and down the walk, out into the city and along the sidewalk. With her fully-packed bag on her back, she jogged down every street, using this as heavy practice. This was getting her used to heaving that over-stuffed bag time after time. She waved when she felt it was nice to do so and ducked when she thought it necessary. She turned around and trucked her way back to the Mansion, lunging up the stairs and sliding to a halt in the main hall, mere inches from slamming directly into Kratos' back.

"H…H…Hi!" she greeted, smiling wide but choking each breath, "H…H…How's things?"

"…Fine…" he murmured after a moment of staring at her strangely, "It's time for you to get on your way. I understand you have to get to Viridian and Pallet before you can start to Hoenn?"

"Yes, sir," she let her pack flop off her shoulders to the floor, "To pick up Gary, Richie and Ash."

"And how are you going about getting there?"

"Lance is going to take me to Viridian and Pallet, then we're meeting Skiff Frigate's mother at Pallet Town dock to take us to the coast of Littleroot Town in Hoenn," she answered, obviously having had this planned for some time.

"Sounds good," he nodded, "But I have something for you," he reached into his coat pocket, "Take these. They're called Poke'Nav; short for Pokemon Navigators. And take this. It's a new Poke'Dex. There's one of each for you and your crew. They're both easy to work, but both have built in help modes for the first time you turn them on."

"This new Poke'Dex. It has information on the Hoenn Pokemon?"

"As well as on the Gym Leaders and the Elite. Or at least what we could acquire about them," he shrugged, "It's also programmed for Kanto, Johto, Gertan Rin and the Orange Islands, so you won't need your old one."

She pulled out her previous Poke'Dex and pulled the stretchy purple cover off, sliding it on her new version, "All right then. Thank you."

"On your way now. And be sure and fight hard, Evangelina. I'm counting on you and I'm trusting you'll do well," he patted her shoulder, then wandered slowly out the front door.

"OK. Here we go," Eevy took a deep breath, "I'm leaving!" she called, her voice echoing.

Medira came thundering down the main stairwell, Jason came flying through the back door with his black Electrode rolling along behind him, Luri hopped in from down the hall and Will tripped out of the library on one leg, spinning around once and sliding toward everyone else. Lance came wandering down the hall, hands in his pockets.

"All right," Eevy clapped once, "It's time for me to head out."

"We're going to miss you, Eevy," Luri murmured, smiling sadly.

"But you're coming back," Medira nodded once, giving a quick thumb's up.

"Kick they're butts, Eevy!" Jason grinned crazily.

"Elec-elec-electrode!" his Pokemon cried, spinning around and around.

"You'll do great, Eevy," Will put in quickly, "Trust me."

"Right," Eevy agreed firmly, "Come on, Lance," she motioned.

Lance picked up her backpack and held the door for her as she exchanged one last quick glance with the Elite and Medira, "I'll be back in a couple hours, guys," he followed Eevy out the door, only to find her stopped on the steps, "What's the matter?"

"I…I can't do it!" she shrieked, turning and lunging for the door, "I can't leave! I just can't!"

"Stop that!" he threw his arm in front of her and pulled her down the steps, wailing and screaming, "You can do this, Evangelina!"

"I can't!" she pushed at his arm, "Please don't, Lance! I don't want to leave!"

"Stop making a scene!" he barked, lifting her over his car door and pushing her into the passenger's seat before buckling her in, "You can do this," he held her chin as she slapped at him, "I promise, Eevy. You're going to do this and do this well. Because you are good."

"…And I am great," she murmured in a slightly whine-ish tone.

"Right," he smirked and dropped her pack into her lap, then sliding over the hood of the car and hopping in, "You're going to get over there and kick some major Hoennrear."

"If you say so."

"And I do."

*^~^**^~^*

Over the Big Bridge and through the routes to Gary Oak's house we go…Eh-I'll stop now. Lance's Mako coasted to a stop outside Gary's house in Viridian City and Eevy hopped out, running up the front steps and knocking enthusiastically. Gary was there in two seconds flat, fingering his green and yellow pendant. His shirt was a dark gray with silvery wrists, and his pants black with silver cuffs. His shoes were the same style, but black with a silver stripe. He grinned crazily at her, then waved around her shoulder at Lance, who lifted a hand in reply.

"You ready to go?" she questioned, folding her arms behind her back.

"As ready as I'll ever be," he shrugged, picking his pack up off the floor beside him, "Come on, Eevee."

"Oh, that's gonna get confusing," Eevy sweatdropped.

"Good point," Gary knelt down, his pack over one shoulder, and picked up his Eevee, "How do you like the name Evo (FYI: Pronounced Eevo)? Just for a little while, huh?"

"Eevee," he said, tilting his head side to side, "Eev."

"Well, we'll go with that," he shrugged, placing Evo on his shoulder, "Where's Vovo?"

"Eh…He and Lance don't get along, so I'll let him out once we get to the docks," Eevy smirked, "Where's Chenille?"

He glared slightly, "She doesn't _live_ here, Eva. She just…Visits…Every now and then," he pushed the door open and carefully squeezed around her.

"Visits…Right," she pranced quickly up beside him, "Hope you said goodbye to her before she left then."

"Oh, don't worry. I did," he opened the car door for Eevy, "After you."

"Thank you," she hopped in and waited for Gary to seat Evo and buckle them both in before patting Lance's knee and pointing forward, "Onward to Pallet Town!"

*^~^**^~^*

Again Lance's Mako parked outside the residence of one of Eevy's many friends, but for your sakes out there, I'm not gonna sing this time. Eevy climbed over Lance, as he'd parked with her door to the street and not the sidewalk, and after kneeing him in the stomach (an accident, don't ya' know), hopped over the door, sprang up the walkway and rang the doorbell three times. The door swung open and she was suddenly thrown back three feet upon being plowed from the inside of the house.

"Eva!" Kayla chirped, hugging Eevy as tightly as she was physically able, "It's been _so_ long! How are you?"

"If I could breathe, I'd be _a lot_ better," Eevy gasped as Kayla let slowly go, "Thank you. Now, were are Richie and Ash?"

"Well, Richie is inside with Delia and Misty and Brock. And Delia and Misty and Brock are with Ash. And Ash is…Uh…Getting cold feet, I suppose you could say."

"What? Is he afraid of commitment?" Gary snickered from the car before one of Eevy's Poke'Balls cracked the side of his face and Vovo sprang out, glaring up at him before turning and decking Lance.

The Dragon Master and the Evolution Pokemon starting fighting as Gary looked on, "Let me talk to him," Eevy moved around Kayla and started jumping up the stairs, "Ashy-boy!" she called, "Ash?" she carefully pushed his bedroom door open to find Delia, Richie, Brock and Misty standing over Ash's bunk, "What's the matter, Ashy-boy? Don't you want to come with me?"

"Don't call me that," came the muffled response from under the bed, "And no, I don't want to go."

"Well how come? Did I do something wrong?" she cocked and scratched her head.

"No," he coughed twice, "Yuck, dust bunny…"

"Pika-chu…" Pikachu sighed, looking sadly up at Eevy, "Pika-pika pikachu pika cha."

"Oh…" Eevy nodded, having understood everything he'd said, "He doesn't want to go because Gary is going."

"Traitor," Ash hissed, tugging Pikachu's tail before quickly drawing his arm back under the bed so as not to get shocked.

Eevy got down on her hands and knees and peered under the bed to meet Ash's dark brown gaze, "I promise you, Ashura. I won't let Gary say or do anything. And if he does, he'll pay for it," she winked, "Honest. So please come out and come to Hoenn with me?" his one eye seemed to narrow, though it was dark under there and hard to tell, "It really does mean a lot to me that you come. I know you're strong enough to do this, even if I can't, so won't you please come out?"

It took a moment of thought and then another moment of struggle for Ash to squirm out from under his bed and stand up, brushing the fuzz balls off his shirt. He stood straight, allowing Eevy to see he now wore a new cap, this one red, dark gray and green, a new coat almost identical to his old one except for the addition of a hood and black sleeves, a pair of new pants, these a very pastel blue-gray, and a pair of new dark gray and navy blue running shoes. The coat was buttoned, leaving his shirt unseen, and his gloves seemed to be a bit darker. Eevy then looked to Richie, who had an aqua coat with one purple stripe, an aqua and purple hat, a purple shirt with its arms exposed, and aqua pants with one purple stripe at each knee. His fingerless gloves were purple with aqua rolled wrists and an aqua stripe on the knuckles, and his shoes were aqua with a purple arch on each heel. Sparky's hair had been brushed slightly and Pikachu's coat seemed to have been washed. Brock had seemingly traded in his vest for a dark brown pullover as well. Misty and Delia seemed the same as always and Togepi chirped away in Misty's arms.

"You're coming then?" Eevy asked expectantly.

Ash sighed lowly, "Yeah…"

"Great!" she cheered, throwing an arm over his shoulders and the other around Richie's, "Then we're off!"

"Wait!" Delia called, "Evangelina, I've packed up some treats for you," she smiled giddily, "It includes muffins."

"OK!" Eevy shrieked, catapulting away from Ash and Richie and after Delia, "Thanks _so_ much, Mrs. Ketchum!"

"It really is no trouble," she patted Mimie's head, "Mimie and I love to cook, right, Mimie?"

"Mr. Mime!" Mimie clapped while dashing around the kitchen to pack up a few more things before stuffing the bag into Eevy's arms.

"Aww…Thank you, Mimie!" Eevy patted Delia's Mr. Mime's head as well, "What all is in here?" she questioned, peeking inside the bag.

Mrs. Ketchum began listing thing after thing while Richie attempted to detach Kayla from his shoulders and Ash explained to Misty why she couldn't tag along. Eevy waved to Delia, slapped Brock away, then smiled crazily as Richie and Ash offered Kayla and Misty soft and quick kisses goodbye.

"All right, you two," Eevy twisted both her friends' hats around backwards, "Time to move out! Braha!" she pointed forward and marched toward the front door as everyone, including Delia, sweatdropped behind her.

Ash waved to his now slightly-sniveling mother, as well as to the whining Brock as Misty held his left ear with one hand and Togepi in the other arm. Kayla attempted to stay latched on to Richie's ankles as he walked away, but he eventually managed to shake her off, but only after he had made it over halfway to the car. Gary stared oddly at him for a moment, then grinned sadistically at Ash, who merely ignored him to pet Pikachu and talk to Eevy. As Eevy approached the car…

"Eva!" a call came from everyone's right, "Eva! I have something for you! Wait a minute!"

"Hi, May!" Eevy smiled wide, "What's up?"

May panted to a stop, waved briefly at everyone else, then held up a rolled sheet of paper, "My grandfather heard about your trip to Hoenn and wants you to take this," she shoved the scroll into Eevy's hands, "It's a map of a region over there. The professor in Littleroot, Professor Birch, sent it to him. And he says if you don't want to keep it, give it to Gary or Ash or Richie."

Eevy cocked an eyebrow, then sighed slowly, "Thank him for me, I suppose," she turned toward the car, "What happened to you?!"

Lance glared lowly at her, then turned toward Vovo, who sat in the front passenger's seat admiring the six lovely slash-marks he'd bestowed on his Mistress's lover's face, "Do _not_ ask."

*^~^**^~^*

Gary sat in the back seat on the left side and Richie on the right. Ash, however, was squashed between them and grunting at the way Pikachu had "abandoned" him to sit in Eevy's lap and talk to Vovo. Sparky was planted firmly in Richie's lap and Evo in Gary's. Lance was focused on the road, Eevy on the Pokemon chatting in her lap, Richie and Sparky on the landscape, Gary on fixing his hair, Evo on cleaning his fur, and Ash on not asking Gary why he wasn't being a total snob and not trying to shove him right out of the car. As the car approached Pallet Town Boat Dock, a middle-aged woman with crimped hair a few shades darker than the sky hanging on each side of her face and brown-green eyes approached. She wore a suit and skirt set just a bit darker than her hair and gold loop earrings. Lance stopped the car and the woman approached on Eevy's side.

"Hello, Evangelina," she smiled politely, her voice bearing a noticeable Slavic accent, "These must be your friends."

"Yes, they are," Eevy grinned, "Ash, Gary, Richie, Pikachu, Evo, Sparky…This is Boija Frigate; Skiff's mother. Mrs. Frigate, these are Ash and Pikachu, Gary and Evo and Richie and Sparky. You already know Lance and Vovo."

"It's very good to meet you all and good to see you three again. And please, call me Boija. I'll be taking you to Hoenn in just a little while," she looked off toward the water, "I must check the weather along our course and say goodbye to Brandon."

"Brandon?" Richie questioned quietly as Boija turned and headed for the marina.

"Skiff's father," Eevy pointed out, "He's going to watch these docks while Boija takes us to Hoenn, and Skiff is getting his first shot at watching the dock in Rose."

A man a few inches shorter than Lance with graying navy blue hair and watery-blue eyes leaned out the glass doors of the marina, "Evangelina! Why don't you and the others head for the boat? Boija is just checking the weather now."

"OK, Mr. Frigate!" Eevy called, waving to him, "You guys head down. I'll be right there."

"Uh…" Ash looked up and down each of the long lines of boats, "Which one is it?"

"The S.S. Evening Mist," Eevy answered, pointing down the row directly in front of them, "The forty-foot schooner down there."

"Schooner…?" all three humans and all three Pokemon blinked.

Lance and Eevy both sweatdropped, "It's a type of boat," Lance murmured, "Just…Look for the name."

Eevy rolled her eyes as Ash and Gary started pushing on each other, each fighting to find the boat before the other as Richie and the two Eevee and two Pikachu wandered slowly behind, examining each boat they passed. Eevy then turned to Lance, who stared back. They were both out of the car, each on opposite sides of the hood. She ran quickly around it and held tight to his waist. He slowly settled his arms around her and hugged her carefully. She tucked a small piece of paper into his back pocket before standing straight and kissing him firmly. He pulled her closer, returning it with everything he could muster without going too far.

"Evangelina!" Boija called from the marina doorway, holding a long piece of paper and causing them to snap apart, "I'm ready to depart whenever you are."

"Oh…Yes, Boija!" she waved back and watched Boija approach the Evening Mist, which Richie and the Pokemon were on, but Ash and Gary, in all their fighting, had passed.

"Then it's time for you to get going," Lance pushed Eevy slowly away and bent down to look her in the eyes, "You can do this, Eevy."  


"Right," Eevy nodded, grabbing his chin with both hands, "Because I am good and I am great."

"Yes you are," he kissed her quickly, "I love you."

She smiled weakly and grabbed her pack from the grass as Vovo called to her from the boat, which was now slowly leaving the dock, "I love you too, Dragon!" she waved while running backwards, "I shall return!"

"You'd better!" he waved while replying.

She scampered along until she was beside the bow of the boat, then reached for the railing. She held tight as Richie helped her up and over the side. Ash and Gary were pounding on each other at the end of the dock and noticed the words "Evening Mist" skim past out of the corners of their eyes. They paused, Ash's hand pushing Gary's forehead and Gary's hand shoving Ash's chin. They ran and jumped off the end of the dock, both _just_ catching onto the stern and flailing to stay holding on. As Eevy ran to help them up, she waved at Lance, who was now sitting in his car and watching the boat depart. He felt something in his back pocket and pulled it out, finding a piece of folded paper. He unfolded it and a photo dropped into his lap. A photo of Eevy, winking and blowing a kiss at the camera. He looked to the note…

_My Lance-chan,  
If you're reading this, I'm off to Hoenn. I'm going to miss you so much it hurts. I'll miss your voice, your jokes (even if they __can_ be on the sick side), your touch, your kiss, your eyes…Every bit of you. I don't know how long I'll be gone, but when I come back, you can expect some major attention. ~.^ I'm off now. The clock just struck 5:30am and you need your rest and it looks like the lamplight is bothering you. I'm off to the Guard Wall to sit for a while. I love you, Lance Kaley Ryujin. With all my body (like you couldn't tell from last night, you dog), all my heart, all my soul, and all my very existence. I know it's a lot to ask of you, or of anyone, but I really hope and pray you feel the same way for me. I'd lose my mind without you, so please be there when I come home. I'll miss you, Tatsu.

Love, Now & Always,  
Eev  
P.S.-Tell Draco hello and goodbye for me. ^.^

"Crazy Eevy…" Lance looked at the picture again, his thumb running along the surface, "Of course I feel the same way. And I _will_ be there."

*^~^*Episode 2: End…*^~^*

__

A/N: Wow! Fluffy-ness! ~~ Um...Anyway...As it said in the first note, way up there on top, I just thought you may want to read this so I could say that I am officially beginning work on my first non-fanfiction_ story, which I actually plan on attempting to get published. I may have more information on this posted at the website sooner or later, but anybody got any thoughts? Well, 'tis all!_

*^~^*Pro_V*^~^*  
-=O~The Pokemon~O=-  
**Next Up:** TAA Season 5 ~ A League Of Their Own *Episode 3* ~ Stormy Seas  
TAA Pokemon Of The Month: November 2003: Ditto

**Nope, don't own Pokemon. But I will own all the characters in my book if I have my way. Braha!**


	3. Stormy Seas

**A League Of Their Own: Episode #3**  
An all-new style; Including a new world, new battles, and even new clothes.  
_A/N: Gee, yay. Another late one. x___X I gotta start working faster and stop making dolls..._

"Look at that sun!" Eevy stretched backwards, "What a great day for traveling!"

"Pika-pika!" Pikachu nodded from his perch on the railing beside her.

"Eev-ee," Vovo agreed, his ears swishing slightly in the breeze.

The Evening Mist, en route to Littleroot Town in Hoenn, skimmed along the water, Pokemon hopping about in its wake. The water was a beautiful crystal blue, sparkling in the bright sun of summer. Boija was standing firmly at the wheel, easing it left to right, and all the while never once removing her eyes from their road of ocean. A Magikarp-like Pokemon with yellow scales dotted with brown, white-blue fins, and a red mouth hopped up aside the boat, directly in front of Eevy's face. She and Pikachu and Vovo jumped back a few steps and Eevy pulled her Poke'Dex from her back pocket. The top folded over and the programmed voice seemingly sprang to life.

"Feebas. Pokemon number 349. A relative of Magikarp, this slightly more powerful Hoenn fish Pokemon learns the same three natural attacks as its cousin, but can also learn eighteen Machine Moves and six Egg Moves."

"Wow…" Eevy blinked a few times, Pikachu and Vovo leaning in to look, "That sure did help."

As she examined the Feebas's more advanced stats, a long, slender, snake-like Pokemon with a sunset orange body and blue and red scales on its tail leapt from the water. Pikachu pointed and Eevy aimed her Poke'Dex at it.

"Milotic. Pokemon number 350. The Hoenn version of Gyarados, this Pokemon evolves on high beauty. A rare and valuable Pokemon, prized for its extreme beauty, it has the option of learning eleven natural moves and twenty one Machine Moves."

"What a gorgeous Pokemon," Eevy murmured, watching the Pokemon glide for a few yards before again submerging into the shining water.

"Pika…"

"Eevee…"

"Hey, Eevy," Ash slowly wandered over and leaned on the railing beside her, "What you said back at my place…About me being strong enough even if you aren't. What did you mean?"

She brushed her hair from her eyes and watched a school of what she'd learned were called Barboach swish past beneath the boat, "I don't think I'm up to this challenge, Ash. I haven't even faced Kanto and Johto yet, and I _know_ what those are like. But Hoenn…Hoenn is a lot different. You're used to taking on new things; I'm not."

"Oh, _come on_," he rolled his eyes, "You went from being a teenaged cop to a Champion Pokemon trainer. How do you figure you've never done anything _new_ or _different_? You just don't give yourself enough credit."

She smiled down at him for a moment, "Yeah, maybe you're right."

There was a loud, deep rumble from off the starboard side and Eevy and Ash turned to look, both wondering what in the _world_ that could have been. Gary turned around from Evo to look, and Richie peeked out from around the mast to catch a glimpse of whatever it was. Boija shook her head slowly, looking out in front, then off at the dark, ominous black clouds that were beginning to flood the sky.

"A storm," she murmured, eyes slowly narrowing.

"But…You checked the weather before we left, didn't you?" Eevy asked, turning and looking up at her.

"Yes, I did. It was entirely cloudless," Boija edged the wheel to the left, "We're going to have to jut off course, Evangelina. It may make you late."

"Better late than dead…" Ash muttered under his breath.

Boija turned just a few degrees to her left, and just as she did so, there was a bright flash from within the clouds. A streak of lightning struck the water, causing an eruption of sea to shoot straight into the air and shower back down. Boija sped up, constantly turning back to see where the clouds were headed, and checked her compass.

"The storm is…Disintegrating," Richie blinked, looking back at the clouds, which were now behind them.

The black began to crumble and light started to shine through onto the water and the boat. All five humans aboard the Evening Mist sighed thankfully. Just as they began to go on about their business again, there was a roaring, echoing growl of thunder. They stopped and looked around, but saw nothing. With no warning whatsoever, a streak of lightning shot down from directly above and struck the center of the level at which Eevy and the boys stood. Yet…It left no marks. Eevy tripped away backwards, as did Gary, Richie and Ash. More lightning rained down around them, in the water _and_ on the boat. The water started churning, throwing the boat left to right, up and down, forward and back. It started to pour; an intense forceful downpour that drenched even things that were protected by covers or awnings. Eevy made a frantic grab at a pole and managed to grab onto it, as the boat was tipping to the right now. Ash, Gary, and Richie came flailing from the left side of the boat, catching onto the bar as well. Boija was clinging to the wheel, trying to keep them steady, though it was obvious it just wasn't working.

There was another loud roll of thunder, then a blast of lightning right in front of the pole, and Eevy just noticed something go flying past her face. She turned and looked just in time to see a puffy tail slipping out from under the bar. She looked around; Evo, Vovo, Pikachu and Sparky were all nowhere to be seen. She let go of the bar and slid, in a layer of water, over to the railing. She slammed into the bar and almost flipped over, but managed to force herself back. Searching the water, she panned left to right and back again. When she spotted a yellow tail floating just at the surface, she turned back to Richie, Ash, and Gary.

"They fell in!" she shrieked, "Go tell Boija the Pokemon fell in!"

Richie turned and climbed up to Boija, nearly flying off the ladder numerous times. Eevy looked around, then started climbing over the railing.

"What are you doing?!" Ash screeched, "You're not-"

"Going in!" she looked back and nodded at him, then dove off the bar.

"She's insane!" Gary cried, "She'll get herself killed!"

Eevy smoothed a few annoying strands of hair back, then swam for Pikachu, who was floating on his back a few feet in front of her, "Pikachu! Pikachu, wake up!" she hoisted him out of the water, above her head, "Pikachu, can you hear me?! Woah!" a sudden wave from beside her knocked both her and Pikachu under, but she surfaced again fairly quickly, "I've gotta get you back on the boat…Huh?" she looked down at the light splash of a rope flopping down in front of her.

"Grab it!" Richie ordered, "Grab it and we'll pull you in!"

"Take Pikachu!" Eevy yanked the rope out and tied it around Pikachu's waist, "I've got to find the other three!"

All the while ignoring the way Gary and the others were swearing at her as they tugged Pikachu back toward the boat, Eevy searched the surface for the two Eevee and second Pikachu. When she saw no sign of them, she took a deep breath and dove under. She swam a few yards, then surfaced. Just as she came up, another clap of lightning shot down…Directly at her.

"Eevy, look out!" Ash called.

Pikachu's ears twitched and his eyes opened. Ash started questioning if he was all right, but the Electric-type jumped up and fired and Thunderbolt at the lightning heading toward the water. The bolts connected, and Eevy cringed away from them, only to be hit by a large wave, which submerged her. Now unconscious, she was pushed farther and farther under by a powerful current. The waves and streams caught her and pulled her deeper and farther off from the boat, but eight little brown paws and four little yellow ones came paddling down from above. Evo and Vovo each bit a sleeve and Sparky grabbed her belt in both paws. They started swimming for the surface, but the current was too strong for them. Eevy came-to a few seconds later and immediately started swimming, but was unable to fight the water's fierce pull. Exhausted, she and the Pokemon were pulled beneath the waves again.

Eevy covered her mouth, then noticing, in a moment of literally suffocating agony, that there was something beneath them. Something came up under them, decorated in red lines that beamed bright, then faded, then beamed repeatedly. It pushed up under her and a bubble formed around her and the Pokemon. Finally having run out of air, Eevy heaved a breath, yet she was not in water. She was in _air_. She was inside an air bubble. Searching around, she looked down into what appeared to be the eyes of the mammoth beast beneath her. She could just make out the shape of its fins in the dark and murky water. It started pumping for the surface and the Pokemon began to run around at her feet, trying to see what this thing was without bursting their protection. As the bubble hit the surface, it popped, throwing Eevy out into the fresh air, a Pikachu on her head and an Eevee on each shoulder. Whatever it was that had helped them stayed beneath them, and Eevy stood on it as she realized…She'd surfaced on the opposite side of the boat. Ash, Richie, Gary, and Pikachu were looking into the water on the other side, and Boija was watching them.

"Hey, guys! Over here!" Eevy waved her arms above her head as they turned and ran toward the other railing.

"How'd you get over there?!" Richie asked as Gary tossed the rope out to her.

"Come on, get up here, crazy lady!" Gary ordered as Eevy hopped up and held onto the rope.

"What was that…?" Ash asked as a very faint red glow seemed to disappear beneath the dark waters.

"I don't know…" Eevy turned and looked back and down, "Whatever it was, it just saved us."

"Hey, there's something floating there!" Richie pointed down into the water.

"Boija, do you have a long-handled net?" Eevy asked, looking up at her.

After retrieving the net, Eevy ran over to the railing and scooped the floating object from the water, "What is it?" Gary asked, grabbing the net before anyone else could, "Looks like just a plain old bottle…With sand in it," he popped it open, "Eech. It smells like potpourri."

"There's a little card on it," Ash flipped it over, "Hey, Eevy…"   


"Hm?" she too looked at it, finding a bell drawn on it, accompanied by a feather, "That's…My Prophetic seal."

*^~^**^~^*

Eevy furiously dried her hair with a towel, totally knotting it up, but didn't care. She'd changed already and was still slightly wet, but didn't really give a flip and a half. She just hated it when her hair stuck to the sides of her face. Richie was wringing her shirt out over the railing and Gary was shaking out her pants, though no matter how hard they twisted the clothing, it never seemed to dry out. The boat jolted slightly and Boija came climbing down from the wheel.

"We've arrived at Littleroot Town Harbor," she informed them, "You had better hurry up. You're already late."

"Thanks so much, Boija," Eevy took both her hands in hers and shook them, "I _would_ hug you, but…I'm still kinda wet."

"Oh, Evangelina," Boija yanked her over and wrapped her arms around her, "Please be careful out there for me. And take care of those boys."

"I will, Boija," Eevy patted her back, then stepped away, "I'll call when we're ready to come back."

"I look forward to seeing you again. And good luck to you," Boija waved as Eevy led everyone else off the boat.

Eevy waved back over her shoulder at Boija, then stretched her arms above her head, "So this is Littleroot Town, huh?" she murmured, looking about, "Doesn't look all that special to me."

Just as she started to sit down, they were approached what Eevy _had_ to identify as a Pokemon Professor. Why? Because he had a lab coat. Though he held it over his shoulder instead of wearing it, it was pretty much obvious. Why, they all began to wonder, didn't Professors seem to go _anywhere_ without their coats? Was it force of habit to carry them or what? Was it even worth finding the answer to? Probably not. Eevy blinked twice as the Professor held his hand out to her.

"Miss Hikoboshi, I presume?"

"Uh…Yes," she nodded quickly, shaking his hand and finding his other intention was to forcibly _yank_ her to her feet, "And you are, sir?"

"Professor Birch. I believe both President Kratos and Professor Oak referred you to me," he released her hand and looked behind her, "Gary Oak, good to see you."

"Yeah, great," Gary muttered, rolling his eyes and glaring at the snickering Ash.

"Yes, Kratos and Oak both mentioned you. They said you'd be willing to…Give us a hand, in return for any information we gain on the Pokemon here," Eevy shrugged, "Honestly, I don't know what kind of information we'll be able to supply."

"I'm sure you'll find _something_ of interest to report with," Birch shrugged, "And if not, what am I going to do? Be responsible for leaving you out in the middle of nowhere? _That'd_ be just unreasonable."

Eevy snickered slightly, "Well, you never can tell. By that point, you may _want_ to leave us out in the middle of nowhere."

They both started laughing, leaving Richie, Gary and Ash blank-faced beside them, "I see you've brought your Pokemon," Birch scratched Vovo's chin as he sat on Eevy's shoulder, "They must be tired. And so should you."

"Yeah, can you tell us where the Pokemon Center is then?" Richie asked, elbowing his way up between Ash and Gary.

"There _is_ no Pokemon Center here in Littleroot Town. The closest one is in Oldale Town, a few miles north of here," Birch pointed off down the route that lead to Oldale, "It'd take you a couple of days to get that far."

"Ack…" all four slumped before Ash groaned, "Now what do we do, Eevy?"

"Me? How should _I_ know?" she asked, puffing in his face.

Birch sweatdropped as they started fighting slightly between themselves, "As I can see you're seemingly totally unprepared, why don't I take you to my lab here in town? Your Pokemon can rest there and I can answer any questions you might have."

"That'd be great," Eevy clapped, "Thanks so much!"

After gathering their Pokemon and their things, they followed Birch around to well-used, slightly beat-looking Jeep parked half on the sidewalk. Eevy examined it skeptically, then looked at Birch. Then at the car. Then at Birch. Then the car again.

"For some reason, I don't see you as a Jeep person. Or as the kind of guy who parks on public pedestrian property," she murmured, tilting an eyebrow.

"Cut the guy some slack, Eevy," Ash snickered, looking back at her from his position halfway into the car, "He still parks straighter than you do."

"_Hey_!" she stomped her foot, then stalked around the car and hopped in the front passengers' side, "OOH, never mind! It's not even worth fighting over."

Birch, who was already in the car, watched her climb over the door and sit down, "Used to Jeeps?"

"Used to my boyfriend's Mako convertible," she shrugged, flipping open a pair of sunglasses, "And I know now to protect my eyes."

"Good judgement."

*^~^**^~^*

"Hoenn is quite a bit different that Kanto and Johto, that much I know. And it's absolutely _nothing_ like the Orange Islands," Birch shrugged, holding the wheel with his right hand and laying his left arm along the car door, "But as for how it compares to Gertan Rin, I honestly couldn't tell you. I've never been there to know."

He was just pulling up to his lab's front door by the time anyone offered a reply, "Are there many new Pokemon here in Hoenn, Professor?" Ash inquired.

"Over a hundred," he answered, causing everyone's eyes to go wide, "And new attacks and new everything almost. Come on. Let's go inside," he paused and waited for Ash and Gary and Richie to pile out of the back whilst Eevy just hopped over the door, "My assistant can help with the Pokemon while we get down to business. I'm back!" he called as he opened the door.

He was greeted by a blur of brown and cream fur that chirped and cooed between pauses to shake its floppy ears from its face. It finally stopped spiraling around Professor Birch's legs and looked sweetly up at him. Eevy's eyes practically registered hearts, and she clapped her hands together.

"Oh…My gosh!" she screeched, "What an _adorable_ little Eevee!"

Birch scooped the Eevee up and handed him to Eevy, who beeped its nose, "Eeree!" it wagged its tail.

"This is Eeru," Birch noted, patting the Eevee's head, "We don't know why yet, but his ears are oddly long, and he says Eeree instead of Eevee. We're investigating it," he shrugged, "Let's go find my assistant."

Eevy put Eeru up on Birch's shoulder and cuddled Vovo as they followed the Professor down the hallway, "Do you, by any chance, Professor, have any information on the Gym Leaders or Elite system of Hoenn?" Richie asked, quickly swiping his hat off his head as Ash did, "We have _minimal_ information on them in our new Poke'Dex."

"To tell you the truth, Richie, I don't know anything about any of the Elite. Not the Elite 4, and not the Champion. And the only information I can give you on the Gym Leaders is that the first one is the city after Oldale Town; Petalburg City. The Gym Leader there is Norman Riker, a friend of mine. _But_, you can't battle there until you've defeated four other Gym Leaders," he pushed one of the doors they'd come to open, "Perhaps my assistant can get you more information. Here he is. Good afternoon-"

"Joshua!" Eevy grinned, half in disbelief.

"Eva?" Joshua looked up from the Feebas in the fish tank in front of him, "Eva, it's good to see you!"

"You know this young woman, Joshua?" Birch asked as he and the boys sat slowly down at the table near the edge of the room.

"Yes, Professor. We went to school together," Joshua nodded, plucking Eeru from Birch's shoulder.

"We were partners in chemistry and we took some foreign language classes together in college," Eevy set Vovo down to socialize with the other Pokemon, "Josh was one of the very few people who understood my relationship with Lee, and was at the funeral with me. He stayed and helped Lee's parents and I a lot just after he passed away."

"Only for you, Evangelina," Joshua murmured, watching the way the five Pokemon interacted while they sat on the floor.

"Joshua, could you take our visitors' Pokemon and see that they're all in good condition?" Birch requested, looking back at him.

"Certainly, Professor," Josh bent down to the Pokemon on the floor after taking the Poke'Balls from the trainers, "If you'll follow Eeru, he'll see to it you have a good dinner and some treats afterward. Eeru, you show them around while I prepare their food."

"Heehee…" Eevy grinned crazily as they stepped out of the room, "That little Eeru sure is a cutie."

"Around here, Eevee and most other Johto and Kanto Pokemon are very rarely seen," Birch noted, spinning a pen around in front of him, "You'll have to be careful dealing with some of the more obsessive fans. So…What do you want to know?"

"Well…" Eevy pulled her backpack over and dug around inside, laying the map that was given to her out on the table, "This map was given to me by Professor Oak. Could you, maybe, tell us more about the Hoenn region?"

"Absolutely. This is where you are right now," he pointed, "Littleroot Town. North of here is Oldale Town and west of Oldale are Petalburg City and Petalburg Woods. Just on the other side of Petalburg Woods is the Pretty Petal Flower Shop. You may be interested in stopping there and meeting the three sisters. They can offer you some exceptional information on the Berries of Hoenn. Past there is a bridge leading to Rustboro City. Rustboro City is the location of the first Gym you'll be facing, but I'm afraid I can't tell you anything about the Gym Leader there."

"Is it confidential or something?" Richie asked, spinning his hat around his finger.

"No, I just don't know all that much about the Gym Leaders of Hoenn. But also in Rustboro is the Pokemon school, and the location of Devon Corporation."

"Devon…Corporation…?" Ash questioned, his one eyebrow rising.

"Yes, Devon Corporation. Devon Corp is run by Mister Sullivan Stone. Devon manufactures everything from Poke'Balls to the Poke'Nav. It's a huge company in a huge building. You'll be able to distinguish it, no doubt. You may want to try to meet with Mister Stone. He may be able to offer you more information on Hoenn's newer products than I can."

"That reminds me," Eevy dug into her backpack again, placing the glass bottle they'd retrieved from the water on the table, "Can you tell me what this is?"

"Hm…" Birch picked it up and examined it, "This is a Sea Incense. It increases the power of Water-type attacks, much like a Mystic Water pendant. Some people also believe it helps encourage Marill to breed. Where'd you find this? Usually you can find, rarely, a bottle of this in Mount Pyre, where the Ghost-types left it behind."

"We found it floating in the water," Eevy answered, "After a storm."

"Mount Pyre…Where's that?" Gary asked, looking over the map more closely.

Birch pointed to something under Gary's chin, causing him to stand up, "Right here. It's southwest of Lilycove City. There are many legends and tales surrounding the mountain. That's another place you might choose to visit. Atop Mount Pyre is the elderly couple that guards the Red and Blue Orbs."

"Red and Blue Orbs, Professor…?" Eevy was only getting _more_ confused now, "What are the origins of those?"

"That you'd have to ask the man at the top of Mount Pyre. He's an expert on the Red and Blue Orbs and their origins and powers," Birch explained, "Moving on from Rustboro…You find Rusturf Tunnel into Verdanturf Town…"

As he continued to explain the map to Eevy and her companions, Josh continued preparing some food for the Pokemon, "You four are very lucky," he was saying to the two Pikachu and the two Eevee not of his lab, "Evangelina must take good care of you."

"Pika!" Pikachu clapped once, "Pika-chu!"

"Piika!" Sparky agreed.

"Eev-ee!" Evo grinned.

"Eevee-eev!" Vovo nodded and smiled crazily.

"Evangelina and I are very good friends, so I know her well. I get the feeling she's not so sure she's ready for this, right?" he noted, setting a bowl down on the table.

"Eev?" Vovo questioned, his head cocking.

"How did I know? Oh, I can see it in her eyes, and hear it in the way she talks," he replied, placing another bowl down between the Pokemon, "Could you maybe do me a favor? Try and encourage her. And your own masters too. I'm sure they could use the support. I know the Professor doesn't know, and maybe I shouldn't be saying anything, but the first Gym, in Rustboro City, is a Rock-type Gym. And the Leader there is a student at the Pokemon school there in the same city."

"Pika-chuu…" Sparky murmured, nibbling on a biscuit, "Pika-pika?"

"Oh, yes, I'm sure you can win too," Josh nodded, "Just try and reassure them a bit. It'll make things all the better for you and for them. So do that for me, please?" he asked, just before placing another bowl on the table.

"Eeree…" Eeru put in, stepping in to share, "Eer-eeree-eer-eeree."

"Eev!" Evo and Vovo called, wagging their tails.

"Pika!" Pikachu and Sparky cried together.

*^~^**^~^*

"So it's _this_ way to Oldale Town?"

Eevy grinned stupidly back at Professor Birch and Joshua, wondering how many more times she could mistake one route for another. She also wondered how many time at doing this she had before Ash, Gary and Richie refused to travel with her anymore. Would _you_ want to travel with someone who got you lost at every turn? I sure wouldn't.

"Yes, it's that way," Joshua nodded, "Straight ahead. Even _you_ can't lose your way walking straight."

"Just give her time," Gary smirked, ignoring partially the filthy look Eevy shot back his way.

Looking back to Birch, Eevy extended a hand, "Thanks for all your help. You really did us a lot of good just explaining the cities to us. I hope we'll be able to send you some information on the Pokemon around here to pay you back for this, and everything else I'm sure you'll do for us."

"Well, we can only hope," Birch shrugged, shaking her hand, "If you ever need anything, you can contact us with your Poke'Gear and sometimes on your Poke'Nav."

"Good," she clapped her hands together, then suddenly attached herself to Joshua's shoulders, "It was great to see you again, Josh."

Placing a hand atop her head, he carefully edged her off, "Yes, it was very good to see you too, Eva. Good luck."

"Thank you," she grinned, "And goodbye to you too, Eeru."

"Eeree!" Eeru hopped up and down on Birch's shoulder, "Eeree-ee!"

"Come on, guys," Eevy turned back around to her companions, "We should try and get as far as we can today before is starts getting dark."

"If you say so," Richie shrugged, "_We_ still think we should spend the night."

"If it were up to you, we'd do everything from _here_. Forget it. Let's go," she turned and started walking, "We'll call you as soon as we reach Oldale Town, Professor!"

"Good then! Be careful, and watch what you're doing and where you're going!" Birch raised a hand.

"Good luck, Eva!" Joshua called, waving both hands, "Good luck to you too, guys!"

All four waved, then began their actual walking. Not one of them could begin to think what they would come to see and do together. Marching in a triangle, Eevy in the front and the three boys behind her in a line, they worked their way through tall grass and dimly lit pathways between trees. Eevy stopped ahead of them at one point, stretching her arms above her head. Ash, Richie, and Gary stopped to look at her as she stared up through the trees.

She folded her arms behind her head, "Why don't you guys lead for a little while?" she asked, looking down at them.

"Why? Afraid you're lost already?" Gary grinned, narrowing one eye.

"No…" she turned back and looked back up at the leaves again, "I just…Think it's time one of you took the wheel. This isn't just for me, you guys. This is for you too."

"Are you feeling OK?" Richie asked, scratching his chin.

"I feel perfectly fine," she waved her hand at them, "Now who wants to start first?"

"I DO!" all three shouted at once.

Eevy blinked twice, laughing quietly as they bickered between themselves, "On second thought…Maybe it wasn't such a good idea after all…"

*^~^**^~^*

A faint blue glow, beaming from a computer screen, cast its shade up on a face. This person's eyes narrowed slightly, and he suddenly looked quickly up from his work; the blue light above the door had turned on.

"What is it?"

"Master," said the man who rushed in, "We've got a report from our tech agents. There was a surge of power off Littleroot Town Harbor earlier this morning, near a boat. It appears there was power boost of a pure energy, from the same vicinity. The tech department seems to think this may be the energy product of the Crystal Bell."

"Go on."

"The Bell's energy was so powerful, it left a residue in the water that's just now beginning to fade. The target's power also left a faint layer of power, but this Bell overrides it ten-fold. She's coming, sir. The Angel of the Prophecy is in Hoenn."

The man beside the computer stood, placing his hands on the desk and leaning over it slightly, "There will be Legendary activity throughout the region due to her supreme energy output. She will awaken the gods. Find her," he demanded, "Before Maximus does."

*^~^*Episode 3: End…*^~^*

__

A/N: Whee...Wasn't that a trip? The reason for the Milotic and Feebas is kinda simple...At the time I actually wrote this, I was still trying to catch_ a Feebas. @___@ That was the worst few days of my life, I swear. But now I have a bunch of Feebas and a Milotic that won the Master Rank Beauty Contest and got its picture in the Art Museum. Whee! Well, that's all for now...I'm off!_

*^~^*Pro_V*^~^*  
-=O~The Pokemon~O=-  
**Next Up:** TAA Season 5 ~ A League Of Their Own *Episode 4* ~ Enroute  
TAA Pokemon Of The Month: November 2003: Ditto

**Don't own Pokemon...(Can you tell I'm not all that creative right now? Sorry! ~~*)**


	4. Enroute

**A League Of Their Own: Episode #4 ~ Enroute**  
An all-new style; Including a new world, new battles, and even new clothes.  
_A/N: Oh my GOD this is late! X___X Blame the Holiday season! *jumps up and down* That's it! It's all December's fault! ...Eh, you don't believe me, so just read. *frumps off*_

Still walking diligently (As if "diligence" was even a word they knew the meaning of.) along behind Gary, who had finally succeeded in winning the little fight over who was leading, Eevy, Ash, and Richie continued scanning the trees and bushes around them. It was getting darker, and not even the great Garick Oak enjoyed the feeling he was getting all too much. Around them, they heard the cries of Pokemon they did not recognize, and it was all too unnerving. Finally having decided it was time to take his mind off the landscape, Richie quickly drew his new Poke'Nav and began attempting to work it out. Clicking through it, he found himself, after many failed attempts, at a map of the Hoenn region. Being too dark to see the actual paper map by now, the tiny screen with the even tinier light was going to have to do.

"According to this thing…" he said quietly, causing all three of his companions to look at him, "We're about three quarters of the way to Oldale."

"So we have only a fraction more to go," Gary announced, grinning.

"Yes, but it's gotten really dark really fast," Eevy shuttered, looking up at the trees, which now showed no light between their leaves, "I think we should stop for tonight. If we get up early tomorrow we can make it to Oldale and maybe part of the way to the next town."

"Yeah…" Ash agreed, "I don't like the feeling I'm getting. It just…Doesn't seem right."

"Stop trying to sound important," Gary grumbled.

"Enough," Eevy raised a hand between them, "We agreed on no fighting, remember? So both of you stop."

Each of them answered with nothing more than a grunt and a scuff of their feet. Sighing, Richie and Eevy went on about setting up their fire while Gary and Ash kept quietly bickering over who had done this, and who got to do that, and yadda-yadda-yadda…Finally having a decent-sized fire going, Eevy dropped her sleeping bag and kicked it out. At her feet, Ash did the same. Across the fire, Richie laid his, and to the top of Eevy's, Gary unrolled his. A few moments later, they found themselves seated on their respective beds, munching on small bits of food. Eevy seemed to be the only one eating healthy, devouring two apples, while the other three gnawed at what appeared to be junk food.

"It's getting late," Eevy noted suddenly, watching the other three tossing their garbage into their backpacks again, "We should get some sleep so we can get up early and get to Oldale Town."

"Right…Here's to hoping any of us can sleep," Ash shivered, looking left to right, "I keep feeling like we're being watched."

"You too?" Richie questioned, quickly slipping into his sleeping bag and ducking down, "I thought it was just my imagination."

"I've been feeling a little weird too," Gary nodded twice, halfway into his own sleeping bag, "Eevy? What about you?"

"Yes," she agreed, fairly slowly, "Just a bit."

"OK…At least we can all agree about _one_ thing," Ash grumbled, "Too bad it's not quite the best thing to agree _on_."

All four, though slowly and seemingly overly-cautiously, slipped into their 'beds' and prepared for sleep. Finally calming their slightly wracked nerves and aching muscles, they settled quicker than was expected, and slowly began to drift to slumber. Really relaxing for the first time all day, and putting the day's events as far behind them as they could, they let the nighttime darkness and the chirp of crickets lull them deeper into their dreams. _Just_ as they started to fall into the perfect state for a good, deep sleep, something let out a long wolf-like howl. All four trainers _shot_ up straight, looking frantically around in every direction, and Vovo and the other Pokemon came shooting out from inside the backpacks sitting near their masters, panting heavily.

"What the hell was that?" Gary asked quickly.

"Do we really…_Want_ to know?" Ash questioned, quivering violently.

Richie shook his head side to side over and over again, "No, no, no, no, _no_."

"It was just…Just a Pokemon," Eevy concluded firmly, beginning to lay back down, "Stop being so para-"

Before she could even get the last word out of her mouth, whatever it was howled again, this time accompanied by three or four more. Screaming, Eevy ducked under her blanket and shook profusely. Taking their cue from the oldest person in their party, Gary, Richie, and Ash did the same, all four of them refusing to emerge until morning.

*^~^**^~^*

"I…Is it safe?"

"I dunno."

"You look first."

"Bullshit."

Standing over her friends, Eevy placed her hands on her hips, tilting an eyebrow back at Gary, who merely shrugged unknowing. Poking Ash's side, Eevy sniggered as he screamed slightly, causing Pikachu to shock him beneath the blanket. As both she and Gary ducked away and Richie and Sparky peeked out from under their blanket to check on him, Vovo and Evo sniffed quietly at Ash's smoking form.

"Are you all right?" Richie asked quickly, being that Ashura was now whimpering quietly.

"I'm…Just…Wonderful…" he murmured, right eye twitching.

"Pikapi…" Pikachu murmured, rubbing the back of his head.

"Aww…It's OK, Pikachu," Eevy patted his head, "You were just trying to protect him."

"Yeah. Besides," Gary knelt down and grinned wickedly, "Ashy-boy's been through much worse than a little shock now and then. And look at the way his thick head survived _that_."

"Garick…" Eevy sighed, turning to him, "Can't you be just a _smidgen_ more decent? We're going to be together for a while, so the _least_ you can do is _try_ and get along."

"Yeah, yeah…" Gary crossed his arms, "But still; _I_ really would like to know what we heard last night too."

"Whatever it was, there was more than one," Richie noted, "I woke up early this morning and heard them yowling again. Sounded like five or six of them all together."

"Like a pack of wolves," Eevy shuttered, hugging Vovo close.

"I don't suppose anybody knows anything about any Wolf Pokemon, huh?" Ash asked, brushing himself off.

"Are you kidding me? I _just_ learned what a Taillow was," Eevy sputtered.

"…What's a Taillow?" Richie asked, sweatdropping.

*^~^**^~^*

"Ah-hah! Oldale Town!"

Looking around the expanse of their newest location, all four trainers grinned. It was a small town, and very docile, so there was most likely no reason to worry about wolves (or whatever the heck they'd heard the night before). Eevy suddenly slouched lower; there were two routes out of the town, aside from the one they'd come in on. That gave her even more of a chance to get lost. Wonderful.

"Looks like a pretty normal town to me," Richie murmured, looking side to side, "So…Where's the Pokemon Center?"

"The Center would be _that_ way," said someone to their side, "But for an old hag like little miss Champion Mistress there, it's _still_ too easy to get lost."

Teeth clenched and eyes practically raging fire, Eevy turned slowly off to her right, "_You_!" she shrieked, "What are _you_ doing here, Luminati?!"

"Training," Daemeon smirked, "So I can kick your ass and become Champion."

"Shove it somewhere the sun don't shine, ya' little maggot," she growled.

"That's not something a Champion should say to a little kid," Daemeon laughed hysterically, "Especially one as pathetic as you!"

"Why you no-good rotten little rodent!" she threw her fists down to her sides, "I swear to God, one of these days, you'll be eating your words for appetizers and my fists as a main course!"

"You're a scary old witch, aren't you?" he grinned, "How about I give you a taste of pure Hoenn power? Or are you afraid you're too _weak_ to beat me?"

Eevy's right eye began to twitch, "Evangelina…" Ash backed away slowly, hands raised.

Pikachu, on his shoulder, and Sparky and Evo and their masters also started to carefully back up. Knowing that she'd like to have _some_ experience battling Hoenn region Pokemon before marching into a Gym battle, Eevy snapped a knuckle. Biting her bottom lip as her upper began to quiver, she attempted to calm herself. Even so, red and black boiled up from the bottoms of her irises. Clenching her lower lip, her fangs began to grow. Long and serrated, akin possibly to a shark's, they dug into her chin before they ceased growing.

"No one…Calls me _weak_," reaching back, she drew a Poke'Ball and swung her arm around, "Go, Rain Ball!"

The blue light that fell from the Poke'Ball formed into her Vaporeon, whose eyes flickered black and red as well as he shook himself off, "Por!"

"Go! Nuzleaf!"

What broke from the ball was slightly stout and looked something like one would imagine Pinocchio. Finally having been able to tame her fierce anger, Eevy made a face of utter confusion, as did Gary, Ash, and Richie. Tilting his head, Novo blinked twice, letting out another tiny cry. The Nuzleaf flexed his arms, then punched the air, letting out a long, nasty shriek.

"Now is one of those times I'm _happy_ to know Pokemon Professors," Eevy noted, pulling her Poke'Dex from her pocket and popping it open.

"The Wily Pokemon, Nuzleaf. Pokemon number 274; a Grass/Dark-type. This Pokemon pulls out the leaf on its head and makes a flute with it. The sound of Nuzleaf's flute strikes fear and uncertainty in the hearts of people lost in a forest. Because of this, some ancient cultures revered it as the bringer of death, destruction, and misfortune."

"Geez…Sounds like you on a good day, maggot. Since it's half Grass-type, we'll start this out with a simple victory of type advantages," Eevy smirked, "Go, Novo! Use Ice Beam!"

"Nuzleaf, Sunny Day attack!"

As the Vaporeon fired his Ice-type attack and the Nuzleaf his Fire-type, both Pokemon jumped away. The Sunny Day melted the Ice Beam, creating a small river of water in the dirt, which was immediately sopped up into the grass. As the sun hit Nuzleaf's leaf, Eevy noticed a sudden change in its speed.

"What in the world…?" she asked quietly, her eyes narrowing.

"You really _are_ clueless!" Daemeon laughed hysterically, "In Hoenn, Pokemon are equipped with special Abilities that help them both in and out of battle! My Nuzleaf's ability is Chlorophyll!"

"Oh really? And just _what_ does _Chlorophyll_ do?" Eevy asked, narrowing one eye.

"Chlorophyll ups the speed of Pokemon with the Ability when it's sunny," he smirked, "You'd better pay closer attention to the battle than to me."

As Eevy looked back down, Nuzleaf bolted in and crashed a direct hit to Novo's face. Shrieking, he backed away from his opponent, rubbing his snout, then hissed and stomped forward.

"You little maggot…You distracted me!"

"Shut up and battle!"

"Go, Novo! Use your Blizzard!"

"Nuzleaf, dodge and fight back!"

Eyes widening as Nuzleaf lunged away from the oncoming attack, Novo ran directly into his firing pattern. Forming in his hand a tennis ball-sized seed, Nuzleaf threw it at him. Again and again, five times in a row, a giant seed cracked into the Water-type's face. Slipping back on his side, Novo whimpered before straining to his feet.

"He's kicking my ass," Eevy grunted to herself, eyes narrowing, "That stupid Ability of his is making that Nuzleaf way too fast…Wait a minute," her eyes widened, "If _his_ Pokemon gets an Ability…Why doesn't mine?!" she reached back to her pocket and popped open her Poke'Dex, "Give me the available Ability of that Vaporeon!"

"Vaporeon Ability…Scanning…Data recovered. Swift Swim; Doubles Pokemon's Speed when raining during battle."

"Hey! You can't do that!" Daemeon shrieked, "That's unfair!"

Eevy grinned wickedly, "I have a lot to learn, but so do you. Novo, use Rain Dance attack!"

Forcing himself to a stand, the Vaporeon leapt from the trail of a last minute Solar Beam. Throwing his head back, Novo called a storm and it began to pour. His frills spreading, he took off like a shot toward Nuzleaf, who was now stuck in mud.

"Nuzleaf, Bullet Seed attack!"

Forming a seed in his hand once more, Nuzleaf threw it over his head at the Water-type charging at him. Novo slipped off to the side, splashing dirty water into the Grass/Dark-type's face. Wincing, he rubbed his eyes and shouted.

"Novo!" Eevy held her backpack over her head as it continued to rain, "Surf attack, now!"

Daemeon quivered as the tremendous wave towered over both him and his Pokemon. It crashed down on his Nuzleaf, then washed back into him. The crash from the thunderous water drowned out everything else, and the rain slowly came to a stop. Looking up and across to where he'd been standing, Eevy dropped her arms to her sides, the puddles that had formed in her wrinkled backpack spilling out.

"He's gone…" she whispered, then started screaming, "That little insect ran away! He has the _gall_ to call me _weak_, and then he _runs away_?!"

As she continued ranting, Ash, Gary, and Richie stood back behind her, all sopping wet and twitching.

*^~^**^~^*

A figure, this one seated in front of a screen flashing red and black, watched a computer monitor intently. When the buzzer on the outside of the door sounded, and the red light above the entrance flashed on, he looked away from the electronic graph.

"Come in."

The doors slid open, and a woman stepped in, holding a red folder, "Master…We've found some information that should be most interesting to you, sir."

"Let me see it," he murmured, sitting back.

She hurried over and slid a disk into the side of the laptop, "This information was gathered using our satellites above Littleroot Town, sir. It shows a tremendous surge of power."

The grid he watched was a simple black background with white lines. Along the bottom was a thin red line, and below that a line of blue. With no warning, the blue line shot up six boxes, completely covering the red one. His eyes widened.

"What is this?" he asked quickly.

"Keep watching, sir."

He looked at her a moment more, then looked back again. Three lines down from the top, white melted in from the side, utterly engulfing the rest of the chart. He leaned quickly away; there was so much of it, it hurt his eyes to watch.

"What _is_ this?" he questioned again.

"This came from the waters off Littleroot Town Harbor, sir. The source of the red and blue energies is apparent, and it appears the white is that of the Angel of the Prophecy. She's come to Hoenn, Master."

He shot to his feet, his deep red eyes narrowing, "Her power is already tremendous; far superior to all we've simulated. She will awaken the gods quicker than we had calculated. We must find her before Archimedes can," he clenched his fist on the table, "The power of the Lord of Earth and the Lord of Water _will be mine_!" his assistant stumbled back as he slammed his fist to the table and jolted even the laptop upwards.

*^~^**^~^*

"She's been on the phone for hours…"

"I'm glad _we_ don't have to pay for this…"

"We're already almost flat broke…"

Ash, Gary and Richie sat on the bench behind Eevy, watching her as she waved her arms around in front of the videophone screen. They didn't even _want_ to ask what she was talking to Professor Birch and Joshua about that was getting her so excited. Her mouth was going, her arms were still waving, she was fidgeting around _constantly_…

"But I don't understand, Professor, how my Vaporeon acquired an Ability like that! They've never had them before; I would have known about them!" she shrieked, arms thrown out to her sides.

Birch laughed, "There's been only one _sane_ theory on how Pokemon from other regions are gaining this power. It's believed…" he reached off screen for a book and flipped it open, holding it up, "That some kind of magnetic surge from deep beneath the Earth's surface is causing Pokemon's molecular structure to morph and is giving them these Abilities. Somehow, the main generator for this power seems to be branching out from beneath the Hoenn region and slowly affecting the other regions as it grows."

"Unfortunately, this raises a lot of questions," Joshua put in, also picking up a book to show her, "Such as if there is a way to get rid of these Abilities, and if there's some kind of danger in these magnetic fields for either Pokemon or humans."

"Is there?" Eevy questioned.

"Not that we've seen, no," Birch shook his head, "In fact, it appears to sometimes make Pokemon a great deal stronger."

"That's good to know," Eevy sighed, "But is there a way to figure out what's creating the field?"

"Well, from thermal satellite photos of the Hoenn region from above," Joshua dragged over a large board with photos pinned on it, then adjusted the camera so she could see, "There appear to be three specific points of power generation. We've visited them, but so far we can only locate two, and they are both the location of ancient shrines, which appear to be permanently sealed. We're not permitted to open them. It's still believed that unsealing them could unleash tremendous monsters. But here's a map of their placements."

He held it up for her to see, "They're in a perfect triangle," she murmured, "Can you send me a copy of that map? I'd like to see it. Perhaps we'll be able to find something if we pass those places."

"Of course," Birch nodded, "But I don't want to send it to the Pokemon Center. It leaves a log in the binary files of the mail system, and someone could easily find it and go searching. I'll send it to Petalburg Gym. The Gym Leader there, as I've told you, is a good and trusted friend of mine. Norman Riker."

"Yes, I remember. I understand. We'll pick it up there when we reach Petalburg," Eevy agreed.

"See? We told you you'd be able to help," Joshua grinned.

"Hey, we haven't found anything yet," she waved her hand, "I'll call you again when we reach Petalburg Gym. Thanks a lot, Professor."

"You too. Goodbye."

The screen went black, "OK, guys!" she turned around, "Ready to--Huh…?" blinking twice, she grunted as she found her three human companions and all four Pokemon asleep on the bench, "Good grief…"

*^~^**^~^*

"I'm too tiiired to walk…" murmured the dazed Ash as he stumbled along behind Eevy.

"We were having such nice naps…" Richie coughed, rubbing his right eye.

"Pikaa…" both Pikachu and Sparky agreed.

"You two…" Eevy shook her head and Vovo snickered on her shoulder, "If you hadn't fallen asleep, you wouldn't be having this problem. You should have been like Gary and just put on some sunglasses to rest your eyes."

"_Yeah_," Gary nodded firmly, grinning wide, "It creates the illusion of sleep and makes you feel just as rested."

"Maybe for psychos like you…" Ash snorted, rolling his eyes, "How far are we from Petalburg now, Richie?"

"Not too far, by the looks of things," Richie noted, still rubbing his eye, "We'll make it in a couple of hours."

As he turned off his Poke'Nav and yawned wide, Gary stopped, causing everyone else to do so too, "What's the matter?" Eevy questioned, peeking around his side.

"What are _they_…?" he muttered, only just loudly enough for everyone to hear him, then started towards two strange trees on the side of the road.

Evo hopped down from his shoulder and scampered along behind him, "Eevee…" he murmured, tipping his head as he sniffed the base of the tree, "Eevee-eev."

"What do you think they are?" Ash asked, poking a large berry that hung from one of the branches.

"Let's see if the Poke'Dex knows," Richie aimed his at the tree on the right, "Analyze."

"Berry number 03; The Pecha Berry. A very soft and sweet Berry, which is also very tender. Handle with care!"

"Let's see what this one is too," Ash pulled out his own Poke'Dex and aimed it at the other tree.

"Berry number 07; The Oran Berry. A peculiar Berry, with a mix of all five Flavors; Spicy, Dry, Sweet, Bitter and Sour. They are very hard and grow in half a day."

"Pecha and Oran Berries…Hm…Never heard of them," Eevy scratched her head, "Are we allowed to pick these?"

"Affirmative," Ash's Poke'Dex blurted, "It is permitted to pick all Berries throughout the Hoenn region, and preferred that you replant at least one."

"Looks like there's two of each," Gary noted, "Should we take them?"

"Why not?" Eevy shrugged, "Maybe we can find out what they're used for."

Each trainer took hold of a Berry, then pulled them carefully off. Within seconds, both plants crumbled and disappeared. Backing away, they looked blankly at each other and swallowed hard.

"Were they supposed to do that…?" Richie asked quietly.

"I sure hope so," Ash sweatdropped.

"Well…Let's replant them, just incase," Eevy grinned stupidly, taking one of each Berry and kneeling down.

"Hey, neat! A Ralts!"

"Hm?"

"Huh?"

"Wha?"

"Eh?"

All four trainers and all four Pokemon looked quickly up. In a large patch of grass, along the road a ways, they saw a trainer running around. Staring strangely, they stood and watched the pale green-haired boy throw a Poke'Ball. Out popped a brown sloth-looking Pokemon. With one swipe, it hit a small white and green Pokemon in the side and knocked it over. It got to its large feet and clapped its hands together, Growling loudly at the sloth, who merely sat there through it. It Growled again, and then the sloth attacked once more. The boys wandered off to watch, and Eevy finished burying the Oran Berry before scrambling to her feet to join them. Standing behind the trainer, they watched him pull a Poke'Ball. Heaving it forward, he covered his eyes as it hit the white Pokemon and began rocking side to side. After three rocks, the Ball locked. It then rolled carefully back to his feet, bouncing off the toe of his shoe. Spreading his middle fingers from his ring fingers, the trainers stared at it, then looked around to see if it had just been thrown back. Picking it up, he suddenly smiled.

"I did it! I caught Ralts!" he shrieked, holding it up, "I actually caught a Pokemon! Whee!"

He froze solid at the sound of hands clapping behind him, "That was really good," Eevy grinned.

"Ohhh…Are you who…I think you are?" the boy asked quietly, stepping away once.

"Hm?" she paused, the boys standing beside her, "Well, I suppose that depends on who you think I am."

He pulled his feet from the tangled grass and approached carefully, stopping in front of her, "Can you…Maybe…Come down here?" he scratched the back of his head.

Eevy sweatdropped and got to one knee, coming just about eye-to-eye with the boy, "Is this better?"

He nodded and began looking her over, and his eyes caught onto hers, "…You are…_You are_!" his jaw dropped as she stood up, "You're the Champion Mistress from Gertan Rin! I knew it was you! I knew it!"

Ash snickered, "I thought you said no one over here knew who you were."

"Aheh…" she shrugged, turning slightly red.

"I've been watching your battles and everything over the internet since you were on PKMN TV! I can't believe I'm actually meeting you!" the boy clapped his hands together and bowed his head, "Your speech from New York was the best, and so inspiring, Mistress!"

She placed a hand on his head, silencing him, "Tell me; what's you're name?"

"Waller-Eh…Wally," he muttered.

"Hm…Don't like your full first name?" she smirked, "Well, Wally, where are you from?"

"Petalburg," he answered quickly, "Do you want to go there? I can show you a shortcut."

*^~^**^~^*

"_That_ was a _short_cut?"

Richie came stumbling out of the trees behind everyone else, and Sparky hopped up onto his head as he steadied himself. Wally had assured them they were taking the shortest way into town, but it had taken so long they were all almost sure (since only fools are _positive_), that he'd taken the long way merely to spend more time attached to Eevy's side, jabbering away at her. Apparently, was an over-enthused fanboy who adored Eevy for everything she was and everything she did. He had been a long-time fan of Eusine, for all his travels, and Morty, for his amazing Ghosts, as well before Eevy began training, and when he found out Morty had a baby sister, he said he considered it only natural to be a fan of hers as well.

"When you became Champion, I was so excited!" he had chirped when they were still in the woods, "I'll bet Morty and Eusine are really proud of you!"

"That they are," Eevy had agreed, nodding, "So…How far is it to Petalburg again?"

When they had exited the woods and stepped out into Petalburg City's streets, Eevy had stopped dead and examined her surroundings. When asked what was wrong, she merely grinned and sighed longingly. Wally searched frantically, wondering what she could have been seeing that she seemed so intent about, as did the other boys and the Pokemon.

"Is something wrong, Eevy?" Ash asked, his Pikachu tilting his head.

"This place…Reminds me a lot of Rose Town," she murmured, her eyes growing a bit foggy, "I miss being home already."

"Don't worry, Eevy," Gary waved one hand while plucking briars from his shirt and pants with the other, "We'll be back home before you know it. But only after you become Champion, and then I beat you myself."

"Yeah, dream on, Gary," Ash smirked, "Like you could even hope of beating Eevy, let alone beating _me_ to beat Eevy."

"Well, you're _both_ wrong, because _neither_ of you will beat _me_ to beat Eevy," Richie chimed in, grinning wide.

Wally watched them as they continued exchanging remarks as per those just mentioned, "Are they always like this, Miss Eevy?"

"Oh yeah…All the time," Eevy nodded and sighed, "So, Wally, can you tell me where the Gym is?" she asked, smiling down at him.

He smiled twice as brightly back at her, "You're going to the Gym? I'm going there too! Are you going to battle Master Norman?"

"Oh, probably not. I've heard his a bit more difficult than the Gym Leader in Rustboro," she shrugged, "But I _do_ need to see him about something. Will you take me?"

"Uh huh!" he clapped his hands together, grabbing her wrist and running, "Come on!"

"Woah! Hey, slow down! Guys, let's go!"

*^~^**^~^*

(**Please note:** In _TAA_, neither Norman nor Professor Birch have children. So no May or Max for us. Why? 'Cause I said so, I guess.)

Wally finally stopped running when both his feet hit the edge of the cement walk leading up to Petalburg City Gym. Eevy nearly dropped to the ground behind him, heaving away. Leaning down on her knees, she wiped a bit of sweat from her forehead and stood up straight. It was very strange…When they first met this boy back en route to Petalburg in the first place he was very pale, almost breakable looking. But now…He had lots of color to him, and he looked as healthy as anyone. Very odd indeed.

"Why are you here, Wally?" Eevy questioned, watching Ash, Gary and Richie flailing up behind them, "Are you going to challenge Master Norman?"

Wally laughed a bit, "No, I just started training. Master Norman let me borrow his Slakoth so I could catch my own first Pokemon. He's really nice."

"He sounds it."

"Did you guys…_Have_ to run like that?" Ash asked, holding his chest, "I think I'm gonna die…"

"Oh, don't be so pathetic," Eevy waved both hands at him, "But hey, we're at the Gym."

"Great!" Richie clapped, shooting up, "We can challenge the Gym Leader!"

"Oh no you don't," Eevy shook her head, "We're not battling here yet. I heard enough about Norman from the trainers I talked to in Oldale Town to know he's not to be faced without experience with Hoenn Pokemon."

Gary just shook his head, "You know we could beat him."

"Maybe, but I'd rather we wait," Eevy turned and headed for the door, "Come on, let's get in there."

Wally bounced ahead of her and attempted to pull the door open. When he placed his hands on the handle and she did the same on the other, she realized the great contrast in their skin tones. He was so pale…Nevertheless, he pulled with all his might and got his half of the door open. He ran in ahead of her and grabbed the wooden wedge to hold the door open. At least, if nothing else, the cute little guy was spirited.

"Why's he so pale?" Gary asked Eevy quietly, "Is he sick or something?"

"I think so," she nodded, "But he sure didn't seem it a minute ago…Humor him," she smirked down at Wally as he rubbed the back of his head after placing the wedge, "You're a strong little guy, aren't you? Cute…" she ruffled his hair as she passed.

He snickered and ran after her, "Thanks!"

Eevy paused in the middle of the room, looking around as everyone else piled in behind her. It was empty. There wasn't a soul in there, nor was there even a chair where the Gym Leader would sit. Wally ran a few steps ahead and put his hands up to his mouth.

"Master Norman! I brought your Pokemon back and there's someone here to see you!" he called, "Are you here, Master Norman?!"

The only door aside from the exit, which was on the wall directly across from it, slowly opened. Out stepped who Eevy knew had to be the Gym Leader, just by the way he walked. His head dropped for a moment before he lifted his gaze and grinned. He stepped quietly, but walked quickly, and stopped in front of Wally. He was only ever-so much taller than Eevy herself, and he looked to be only a bit older than Eusine. He lifted a hand over Wally's head.

"You must already know I'm Norman, the Petalburg Gym Leader. I've been expecting you," he noted when he accepted Eevy's hand, "Professor Birch told me you'd be coming, Evangelina, was it?"

"Yes, I'm Evangelina," Eevy nodded, "And these are Ash, Gary and Richie," she lifted her left hand, and all three boys nodded, "We don't mean to be a bother, but we're to do some research for Professor Birch and need the map he sent."

"It's no trouble," he shook his head, "I'll get you that map in just a second," he knelt down to Wally, "So, Mister Wallerain, what did you catch for yourself?"

Wally winced at the horrible sound of that name, "I caught a Ralts, Master Norman. Thank you for letting me use your Slakoth, sir."

Norman accepted the Poke'Ball Wally handed him, "A Ralts, hm? They're hard to find. I hope it makes a good friend to you."

"It will," Wally grinned confidently, "I'll make sure of it."

"Now then," Norman stood, "The map."

Leading them across the room and toward the corner, he opened the door, which lead them directly into his arena. It was flat and very traditional, and appeared to have been there a while. It also looked as if it had been used recently. Along the wall was a bench, the top of which Norman lifted, and pulled out two sheets of paper. Turning, he handed them to Eevy as she came up behind him.

"One is the map, and the other is a bit of information _about_ the map," Norman shrugged, "Thad is very thorough. He always was."

Gary nodded, "Yeah, we noticed that when he was explaining the full Hoenn map to us."

"Well, I suppose you'll want to start on your way now," Norman pointed to the window, "Come straight out of the Gym and turn to the right. Follow that route and you'll find yourself at Petalburg Woods. Straight through there and you'll find the Pretty Petal Flower Shop. You'll want to stop there; the sisters might be able to tell you something about the Berries around here."

"I forgot about those," Richie pulled the Pecha Berry from his backpack's pocket, "We should ask them about these, and see what else they can tell us."

"Master Norman…" Wally stepped over to his side, looking up at him, "I don't mean to change the subject, but do you think I could be a Pokemon trainer like you and Eevy someday?"

"I'm _sure_ you could," Norman nodded, "You're a bright boy, and with a little work, I know you'll be just as good as anyone."

"Thanks," Wally grinned.

"Well, we should be going now," Eevy waved, "Thanks for your help, Master Riker."

"Please, just call me Norman," the Gym Leader crossed his arms as Eevy turned away, "Authority holds that power, doesn't it?" Eevy stopped dead in her tracks, and Norman smirked slightly, "You _are_ my superior, are you not?"

Eevy glanced over her shoulder as Ash, Gary and Richie paused, "Hm…" she narrowed one eye and smiled wickedly.

"I thought I recognized your name," Norman nodded slowly, "Champion Mistress Evangelina Chenoweth Hikoboshi of Gertan Rin."

Eevy laughed quietly, "I knew this wouldn't be easy…"

Ash slowly turned the doorknob and began to step through, but stopped again, "Uh…Eevy?" he looked quickly back at her, "Am I missing something?"

Richie looked over his shoulder first, his eyes going wide, "Where the heck is the door?"

Gary poked his head out under Ash's arm, "I _know_ there was only one door where we came in. What kind of insanity is this?"

Norman smirked, "To either enter or exit my Gym, there are certain things you need to learn. Does anyone know what happened? Mistress?" Norman looked at Eevy, "Any idea?"

Eevy's eyes narrowed a bit and the colors began to spin together, "Transporter tiles."

Norman looked a bit surprised, then sniggered, "How'd you know?"

"You turned the doorknob to the right both times when you opened the doors. When you came in the first time, I saw the handle turn counterclockwise, which meant on the other side you turned it clockwise, and you did the same when we came in here. Ash just turned the handle left. You can activate where it takes you by the direction you turn the handle in," she folded her arms behind her head and turned around, "We've been looking at them ourselves for Rainbow Metro."

Wally clapped frantically, "Wow! You're the _best_!"

"I'm most impressed," Norman bowed low, "Good luck on your journey, Mistress Hikoboshi. Don't forget to come and challenge me."

Eevy nodded, suddenly latching on to Ash and the others, "I don't think they'd let me, if I ever could," she dragged them around, shoving them out the door, "Coming, Wally?"

"Oh…Yeah!" Wally ran after them, "Bye, Master Norman! Thanks for all your help!"

Norman raised a hand, "Take care of yourselves!" he dropped his arm as the door shut, "The best of luck to you and yours, Mistress."

*^~^**^~^*

Eevy stretched her arms all the way up above her head, "So then, Wally, where to next?"

"I'm sorry, Miss Eevy," Wally stopped, just near the outskirts of Petalburg, "I can't go any farther with you."

"How come?" Ash questioned.

"Pika?" Sparky asked as he sat on Ash's head.

"Pi?" Pikachu also inquired, sitting atop Richie's head.

"I'm not really allowed to go any farther than I did today. My parents really worry about me," he pointed to the house to their right, "This is where I have to stop, it's my house. I caught my Ralts today so I can take it to Verdanturf with me when I go there this weekend. The doctor says the fresh air there will help me."

"So you really are sick," Richie murmured.

"Yeah…" Wally nodded, "But I'll be OK!" he clapped his hands together, "So just follow this road on to Petalburg Woods and right onto the route to Rustboro and you can have your first Gym battle! I'll watch and see if they broadcast it, Miss Eevy."

"Thanks for all your help, Wally," Eevy nodded, stepping up to him, "Here. This is for all your help," she dug into her pocket and handed him the Oran Berry she had stashed there, "To help you with your training."

"I've never had a Berry before," he stared at it, "What do I do with it?"

"Plant it and take care of it," Eevy patted his head, "Bye," she waved, turning and heading off, "We'll be seeing you, Wally!"

"You bet!" Wally hopped up and waved, "Maybe we'll meet up in Verdanturf! I hope so!"

Eevy grinned back at him, then threw one arm around Gary's shoulders and the other around Richie's, "Let's go, guys. We've got a long way to go."

"Hey!" Ash flailed upon realizing he was the only one not included in the group-hug type thing that was going on ahead of him, "Hey, what about me?! Eevy!"

*^~^*Episode 4: End…*^~^*

__

A/N: OK, I definitely HAVE to stop making graphics and get back to work on this. I SWEAR I'm going to start working more, but it'll just have to wait until after Christmas. Hopefully not TOO long after, but you never know. x_X Life is hectic, yes...Meh, I'm off!

*^~^*Pro_V*^~^*  
-=O~The Pokemon~O=-  
**Next Up:** TAA Season 5 ~ A League Of Their Own *Episode 5* ~ Team Rivals  
TAA Pokemon Of The Month: December 2003: The Sealion Pokemon ~ Seel & Dewgong

**Nope, I don't own Pokemon or anything affiliated with it. But I am officially advertising for them on my website. *grins all stupid-like***


	5. Team Rivals

**A League Of Their Own: Episode #5 ~ Team Rivals**  
An all-new style; Including a new world, new battles, and even new clothes.  
_A/N: Can it be?! ANOTHER CHAPTER?! *gasp* Actually, you can all thank my friend Allen, who made a bet with me that I couldn't finish by tonight. SEE THAT ALLEN?! YOU LOOOOOST! NOW STOP BUGGING ME ABOUT THAT DAMN PROFILE! *jumps up and down*_

Trees and grass, trees and grass, trees and grass…How much more could they take? Behind Richie, who Eevy had decided should have a shot at leading, Ash, Gary and Eevy herself looked quietly about Route 104. All that seemed to be there…Was trees and grass. Aside from the occasional Pokemon popping up and running off, there was really nothing but green to see. Emerging from a small path between, you guessed it, trees, Richie smiled wide. On his shoulder, Sparky did the same, as did everyone else as they came up behind him.

"Water!" Richie grinned, "We're finally out of the trees!"

"Let's go swimming!" Ash shouted as Pikachu hopped into the air, holding up his mini surfboard.

"You do that," Eevy sweatdropped as they took off down the stone steps to their side and down onto the sand, "What about you, Gary?"

"I'll stay with you," he noted in his usual monotone, "I don't want to be anywhere around them when they make themselves look like idiots."

Eevy's sweatdrop grew as Vovo and Evo ran off with Ash and Richie, "Uh…Let's go find the dock."

Turning, they began walking along the edge of the cliff leading to the beach. Every so often, they'd look up to see a Wingull flying overhead, or off to the side to watch a Zigzagoon run through the grass. Every time they did so, they'd look at each other and smirk. As they walked, Eevy's arm found it's way over Gary's shoulder, and she yanked him over, hugging him tight to her side.

"So, Gar, are you happy you came?" she asked, releasing him to heave at her side.

Rubbing his sore ribs, he nodded slowly, "Yeah. It's a whole new experience for me. Maybe we'll do something worthwhile, maybe not, but either way at least we'll have seen something new."

"A very good attitude. You're growing up fast," she stopped as Ash went flying off Pikachu's little surfboard and into the water face-first, "…"

"…At least one of us is," Gary muttered, twitching.

"Is that the dock?" Eevy questioned, then ignoring Ash as he flailed aimlessly and Pikachu stood on his board, reaching for his master's hand.

Looking down the shore as she did, Gary noted the small wooden cabin seated right on the edge of the cliff, "Yeah, I think so."

Eevy jogged forward, and Gary rushed to keep up behind her, even though she was already up to the window with her head poked in before he realized she'd done so. Peering about, she noted a table with only one chair, a few shelving units, and huge vases standing in the corner. She saw no people, nor any Pokemon, but she'd learned that didn't much matter. With no warning, someone popped up from under the window.

"Hi there, missy! How can I help you this fine day?"

"WOAH!" Eevy shot back a good three feet, patting her chest frantically, "Good GOD! For one thing, you could _never_ do that again!"

"Many apologies to you," the man scratched his chin, "Wasn't paying enough attention."

"That's…OK…"

He nodded and came out the door to the right of the window, dragging a fishing net with him, "I was too busy fixing this net to watch the docks. Sorry about that," as he was rolling the net up, he looked out over the water, "Hey! You'd better bring your friends in before they get-"

"YEOW!"

*^~^**^~^*

"Oww…" Ash rubbed his bruised thigh dejectedly, "Why didn't anybody warn me there were Tentacool in Hoenn?"

"It's common knowledge, Ashy-boy," Gary smirked, waving the fork he was holding before jabbing another piece of watercress with it, "Tentacool breed so fast, and all year round, they inhabit almost every body of water throughout the Pokemon continents."

Ash pursed his lips, "Yeah, thanks a lot for the information."

"Now-now, you two," Eevy waved her chopsticks at them, then taking another bite of ume-somen, "Be glad Mister Briney was nice enough to let us rest here a while. He _could_ have left us to walk," she smiled wide suddenly, "And I get to be glad I finally met someone else who likes ume-somen. Heehee…"

She slurped a noodle, and Briney grinned, "It's really no trouble. I've been meaning to replace the Tentacool and Tentacruel warning sign for a week or so now. I'm just getting too lazy and too old for all this."

"What happened to the last sign?" Richie questioned, patting Vovo's head as he sat down beside his leg.

"…The Tentacool took it," Briney scratched the back of his head.

"Oh dear…" Eevy murmured, the ends of her chopsticks in her mouth.

"Well, enough about that," Briney stood and walked off to check the pot sitting over the fire, "Where are you kids headed?"

"To Rustboro," Eevy replied quickly, "To challenge the Gym Leader there."

"Ah, good," Briney nodded, "Judging by the way these four wonderful specimens are trained, I'll bet you'll do just fine out there."

All four Pokemon chirped a happy reply, "The town that's out across the water here," Gary pointed his fork out the door, "That's Dewford Town, isn't it?"

"That it is," Briney nodded once more, "One of the smaller towns in Hoenn, but a bustling place nonetheless."

"There's a Gym there too, isn't there?" Ash asked, perking right up.

"Aye, that there is," Briney lifted a gruesome set of teeth from the pot over the fire, "A Fighting-type Gym, if I remember correctly. Perhaps not."

"Hey, can you take us to Dewford Town before we go to Rustboro, Mister Briney?" Richie questioned, smiling wide, "That way we could hit Dewford and come right back with you and head on to Rustboro."

"Well, that sounds like a good idea to me, but I'm afraid I can't," Briney shrugged, trying to put off the depressed looks his was receiving, "I need to wait here for my dear Peeko to return."

"…Peeko…?" Eevy's right eyebrow raised, as did Vovo's, "Who's Peeko? A Pikachu?"

"Oh no-no-no," Briney waved his arms, "Peeko is my Wingull. She's flown to Rustboro herself, to fetch some Poke'Balls so I can keep working. Until she comes back and I have her and my order safe and sound, I'm not leaving the dock."

"That's too bad," Ash pouted, "It would have been so much easier."

"Sometimes _life_ isn't easy," Eevy nodded, stuffing the last bit of her ume-somen, "But you just have to deal with it, don't you?"

Ash glared at her a moment, "Thank you, Miss Philosophical."

Eevy grinned wickedly as Richie turned back to Briney, "Have you, or has anyone else, seen or heard anything like…Wolves out in the trees at night?"

"Wolves…?" Briney tilted his head and held his chin, "Not that I recall, no. Why? Have you?"

Gary nodded firmly, setting his bowl and fork down on the table, "Yeah. A whole bunch of them too, by what we heard."

"Hmm…" Briney narrowed his eyes, "Why don't you give me your Poke'Gear numbers? I'll keep an eye out and my ears open. If I see anything, I'll most definitely let you know."

*^~^**^~^*

Richie plugged his nose as he walked along beside Eevy, "Why did Mister Briney have to give you more of that stuff? It smells disgusting."

Eevy merely ignored him, slurping down a mouthful of plum-flavored noodles. Richie backed away from her, walking back a few paces, as Ash and Gary had the entire time. She finally finished eating and slipped the plastic container into the side holder of her backpack. Grinning wide, she clapped her hands together, pausing in the middle of the road. She bowed her head a moment, then started moving again. Finally having been rid of that _stuff_ for a few moments, the boys rejoined her.

The day was clear, so that was a plus, and the breeze was nice, and that helped too. Pikachu slept calmly on Ash's head, which went likewise for Sparky, who was doing the same to Richie. Vovo was perched on Eevy's shoulder, as bright and alert as ever, and Evo was lounging in the slight dip on the top of Gary's backpack, watching the shining sun and the fluttering Pokemon. Evo's ears began to slightly twitch, and he sat himself up, rolling his ears in every imaginable direction. The shift in weight caused Gary to pause and look over his shoulder at his Pokemon.

"What's wrong, Gary?" Eevy questioned, having noticed that he had stopped and had done the same.

"Evo hears something," he replied, turning around and ducking down as the Eevee scrambled up atop his head.

Vovo shot down from Eevy's shoulder, crouching low to the ground and bearing his teeth. Evo joined him, almost knocking Gary flat off his feet. Pikachu and Sparky's eyes shot open and their cheeks began to jolt with electricity. Crawling down their masters' sides like squirrels would a tree, they positioned themselves beside the two Eevee on the ground. All four bristled their tails, grinding their teeth and gnarling.

Eevy's ears began to ring, and she rubbed them with her fingers, "Do you guys hear that?"

"Hear what?" Ash asked, turning to look at her.

Before anyone could make any kind of reply, the roar of an engine called their attention away. The ringing in Eevy's ears got louder as the rumble did, and became almost unbearable when a cloud of dust appeared just from over a hill some yards back. All four Pokemon on the ground began furiously growling, and Gary squinted to try and make out what was making all that smoke. Within seconds, his need to look so closely was no more, because the motorcycle that was causing all the racket came tearing over the bump in the road a few feet away. All four Pokemon scattered to either side, as the blue blur was heading right down the middle of the street, with seemingly no care as to who or what was in the way.

"Move it or lose it!" barked the flame-haired woman seated on the bike, "I'm not kidding!"

"Watch it!" Richie grabbed Eevy's elbow, which was bent so as she could cover her ears, and swung her around and off to the side before following on his own.

"Look out, Ashy-boy!" Gary pulled the back of Ash's coat, ducking off in the opposite direction and grabbing Evo as they rolled past.

All four trainers hit the ground on their sides, and all four Pokemon kept on barking as the bike tore past. Eevy looked up, opening one eye only halfway, and watched as she passed. Her hair was long and fiery orange, and she was clad mostly in blue, with rings of white on her pant legs. Her shirt and shoes were a very dark coal color, and around her head she bore a blue bandana. On the front of this was some sort of symbol; white, and shaped vaguely like an Unown A. This woman laughed wickedly, then disappeared around the corner and into the grassy and dark entrance of Petalburg Woods. As she faded from sight, you'd think the ringing in Eevy's ears would have stopped, but it didn't. Nor did the Pokemon cease to growl as they were.

Looking upwards at the heavy rumble above, Ash pointed straight to a red plane. It flew so close to the treetops that bits of bark and a bunch of leaves shot from the branches. It flew smoothly, clearly directed in the same direction as that strange woman, and went right over their heads. Eevy had no choice now but to scream, the noise in her ears grew so loud. Both her eyes shot open, and she looked right up into the open hatch of the plane. Standing there, grinning at her, stood a black-haired man maybe a bit older than she was. He had some kind of red hood pulled over his head, and it looked to have black horns, or even ears, sewn on it. On the shirt this hood was attached to was some kind of black shape, like a mountain almost. Tied around his throat was a mid-length cloak of the same deep red. Eevy was unable to look anymore, as all he did was smile wider and the hatch slammed shut in front of his face. The plane tore off over the forest, and the noise in Eevy's ears died down. She quieted slowly, as did the Pokemon, and all eight of them sat up, looking about.

"W…What the hell was that?!" Ash shrieked, flailing around in all directions.

*^~^**^~^*

The redhead on the bike tore through the center of Petalburg Woods, weaving and dodging in every possible direction, so as to avoid trees and bushes and the like. Above her head, she could hear the plane's blades and engine roaring, and her eyes narrowed. If she didn't find that stupid Devon Corporation lackey, Master Archimedes would have her head. That's not _exactly_ what she wanted. Beside her, in the second seat, the grunt who was with her popped open a blue communicator, on the other side of which was the very person who ran their organization.

"Master Archie," acknowledged the grunt, nodding his head to his boss, "We're in Petalburg Woods right now, sir. And there's something else you should know."

Archie shut the laptop beside him most of the way, turning directly toward the camera for the phone. His eyes were hard and deep blue, and he seemingly had no true emotion as to hearing from his workers who were out and about in the field. Crossing his arms, he nodded once, more exposing the white symbol on the bandana around his head.

"Let me speak to Shelly," Archie told him, and the communicator was handed off to the woman driving.

"Sir," she said simply, "We passed a group of trainers on the road just outside the woods. A young woman, and three younger boys. The map here on the bike showed a peculiar energy emanating from all four of them, each of a different Prophetic vibration."

"Go on."

"The young lady, sir. Her power was that of the Crystal Bell."

Archie shot bolt upright in his high-backed chair and pounded the desk with both fists, "You passed the vessel of the Angel of the Prophecy and you didn't stop?!"

"I'm sorry, sir, but I felt at the time that finding the Devon Corporation's researcher was more important," Shelly rolled her eyes as Archie began turning a deep, deep red, "Sir, if we can use his research to call on the gods, the Angel will come to aid them, and we can get her then. There's no doubt in my mind, sir, that this would work better for our cause."

"Shelly, if you're wrong…"

"Yes, I know, sir," she merely clicked the communicator off and threw it back to the grunt beside her, "I still can't believe I've put up with him and Team Aqua all these years. But still, if nothing else," she gave an acidic grin, at which the grunt beside her winced, "I can take my agitation out on that _ridiculous_ Tabitha."

*^~^**^~^*

Hovering above Petalburg Woods and over top Shelly and the grunt she was driving with, the red plane's instruments began to rattle. Looking about, the black-haired executive marveled at the way they jumped and jolted in every which direction. Turning his attention to the chart by the wall, he watched carefully as three colors began to leap up onto the screen. Yellow, orange and grey with a tint of purple bolted up from the very bottom of the chart, and thus alerted him that there was a sudden surge of power. With no warning, he heard a shrill scream, and the chart began flashing white. He heard everything on the plane begin to shake, and heard the warning buzzers start to sound, and he stumbled over to the boards to get to the phone. The pilot pulled back on the controls so as to steady the plane, and the grunt who was with them braced herself in the corner. The last thing they needed to do was crash Master Maxie's best plane.

"Master Maximus!" shouted the executive into the phone, "We have a slight problem, sir!"

Maxie spun quickly around in his chair, his fingers linked together in front of him. His eyes held clear signs of age and experience, and he seemed, in some strange way, to be a bit calmer than he typically was. That, however…Was most likely going to change. He buttoned the top few buttons of his overshirt, which had been half hanging open in his "leisure", and straightened his tight collar before speaking to his caller.

"What is it, Tabitha?"

__

Oh, how he loathed that name! "We're having difficulty with the instruments, sir. They seem to be going haywire."

"How so?"

"They're flashing white, sir, and straddling something fierce," Tabitha reached out and caught the pilot, who had begun to slip backwards, "I think we may have just passed over some of the Prophetic Council Members, sir. Possibly even the Angel."

Maxie's eyes flared up, and he began drumming his fingers, "And you did not stop…Why, exactly; do you mind telling me?"

"We're also pursuing two members of Team Aqua, sir. They're after the same thing we are. If they can get the Devon Corporation's research before we do, there's a good possibility _they'd_ be the ones awakening the gods. If we let them do that, our mission would be not only seriously impeded, but possibly even obliterated."

"I see."

"What do you want us to do, sir? Do we go back after the Prophetic Council, or continue our chase of Team Aqua?"

"We are Team Magma, swore enemies of all those who oppose our mission. You will stop Team Aqua before you do anything else, and that includes chasing after possible Prophetic Council members. Once you have the researcher and his papers, I will mobilize Courtney and her squadron to stop the Angel and whatever other entities are with her," Maxie's eyes narrowed slowly and angrily, "Do your job and do it well, Tabitha. I want no mistakes."

"Understood, sir," he saluted and turned straight around to the woman still stuck in the corner, "Prepare to jump! Master Maximus orders it so!"

"Yes, sir!" she also saluted, only differently to him, as he was not the true master of Team Magma.

Tabitha turned around, clenching his fists in front of him and dropping his head while baring his teeth, "That stupid Shelly almost got me pummeled. I swear, one of these days, I'll make her pay for all the times she's thwarted me."

*^~^**^~^*

"My ears hurt…"

Richie leaned down beside Eevy, carefully poking her side, and wondering why she kept saying that. Ash and Gary each took one of her arms, forcing her to sit up, and watching the way her eyes spiraled around and around for a few seconds. Finally she reached up and rubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands, looking around. Vovo hopped into her lap, and she raised a hand to scratch the top of his head.

"Where…Did they go?" she questioned, turning all the way around in her place.

"That crazy woman on the bike went into the woods," Richie pointed over his shoulder.

"And the guy in the plane went that way too," Gary nodded, crossing his arms, "Whatever they were up to, they were in a hurry."

"Hm…" Eevy placed Vovo up on her shoulder, wobbling to her feet, "I think we'd better follow them. I didn't like the feeling I got from them. They're doing _something_ they shouldn't be."

"Ehh?" Ash drooped, his elbow nearly hitting the ground, "But we don't know who they are. We're not even sure they _are_ doing something wrong. Your gut feelings aren't always right, you know."

Eevy rolled her eyes, "Listen, Ashura. Sure, they might _not_ be doing anything wrong. But, hey, they _could_ be. And just how would you feel if they _were_ doing something, and you ignored it?" she poked his side with one finger, "What if they're in there…Ya' know…Beheading all the Taillow or something?"

He narrowed both eyes, "You've got a sick, sick imagination."

"Don't I?" she grinned crazily, "Well…" she started walking, motioning a hand for them to follow, "Come on. _Cooome on_."

Richie leaned over one of Ash's shoulders, and Gary the other, "How were we convinced to come with her?" Richie asked, putting one eyebrow up.

"I don't think I want to know," Gary shut his eyes, shaking his head.

"Pika-pika," Pikachu and Sparky echoed, appearing over their trainers' heads.

"Eev-ee," Evo agreed, popping up over Gary's shoulder.

"Come on, you guys!" Eevy waved a fist, "Don't make me come back there after you!"

All three boys sighed, grabbing their Pokemon and running to keep up. When they'd reached her sides, Eevy took a moment to fold her arms behind her head and ponder a bit. Those two on the bike and in the plane had looked strangely familiar. Where had she seen them before? She loathed her sometimes-horrible memory, especially at times like these. And, another question; why were they dressed so strangely? Those were uniforms, she was sure of it. Just thinking about Team Rocket gave her that conclusion. But still, those _weren't_ Rocket uniforms. Unless, that is, she'd missed some _really_ big change in Sakaki's dress code.

Eevy paused, her eyes drifting ever-so slowly off to the side, "Hey, guys…"

Richie stopped next to her, "What is it now?"

"Why don't you…Run on ahead a little bit," she murmured, turning all the way around.

"Wha?" Gary leaned around her side, "But what about you?"

"I think I might have left something at Mister Briney's," she said, plopping Vovo down to the ground, "Don't worry; I promise I won't get lost. The only way into the woods is this road. I just want to be sure."

"O…K…" Ash scratched his ear, "As long as you're sure. You don't want any of us to stay here with you?"

"No-no!" she waved both hands, "You go on ahead. Find out what those two were up to, and I'll be back with you in a few minutes. I'm the Champion Mistress, after all," she stood up straight, attempting to look smug, "I can take care of myself."

All three each raised an eyebrow, "Yeah, as long as it doesn't involve navigating for any good period of time," Gary smirked.

She froze and frowned, "Get going!" she ordered, shoving them along, "I'll be right behind you!"

"All right, all right! We're going!" Richie slapped her hand away as Sparky rested atop his head, waving to her.

"Be careful, OK?" Ash told her, walking backwards a few steps before turning around, "And don't get lost."

"Stop telling me thaaat!" she snapped, jumping up and down, turning red and flustered.

With her arms plastered to her sides, she watched them disappear behind a bush, then reappear on the other side, very obviously still laughing at her. The whole while, Pikachu was on top of Ash's head, waving at her. As they wandered, after a brief pause, into the entrance of Petalburg Woods, Eevy stretched her arms up above her head and sighed. Vovo looked up at her strangely.

"Eevee-eev."

She opened one eye and turned it down on him, "Yes, I _am_ a good liar, aren't I?" she grinned wickedly, "Come on, little friend. Let's go find ourselves something interesting."

"Eev-vee…"

*^~^**^~^*

Dark and maze-like, Petalburg Woods had turned out to be. _Way_ too dark and _way_ too maze-like. They were surrounded, once again, by green. Trees, bushes and grass in every possible direction. Branches, some covered in leaves and others not so concealed, obscured the view of the sky, save some small, odd-shaped spots through which light fell. Even so, it was beginning to grow dim, so light was scarce. Following the trail of torn dirt the tires of that bike had left in their wake, Ash, Gary and Richie stepped hesitantly over a fallen log. All three wondered how that bike had gotten over it.

All was quiet, excepting a chirping Taillow or a screeching Zigzagoon somewhere in the trees. Needless to say, it was at least a bit unnerving. They could hear neither the helicopter nor the motorcycle, so either they were too far off to pick up on it, or they were gone. Part of each of them wanted to find out which was the answer, and part of them wanted to just keep going.

Sparky's ear began to raise and drop repeatedly, "Pika-pika…Pika_chu_," he growled the last bit, one blue eye narrowing as his cheeks sparked.

"I think Sparky hears something," Richie noted, grabbing onto Ash's backpack to stop him, "What is it, boy?"

"Pika-chu…" Pikachu crawled down Ash's side, standing high-up on his back legs and sniffing the air, "Pika!"

"Eev," Evo burrowed into Gary's hair, peeking up over the spikes with both brown eyes narrowed, "Eevee."

"You can both forget it!" said someone blocked from view by trees, "N-Neither of you are getting these papers! They're mine! They belong to Devon Corp.!"

"Then what are _you_ doing with them, old man?" asked someone with him, "If they belong to Devon, then let us have them, and we'll take them to them."

"Absolutely not, you snake! These papers are too important to entrust to someone else! Least of all you!"

"Shut up and let us have them then," suggested a third person, this one a woman, "You can trust _us_ to take them to Devon."

"Not on your life!"

Leaning either around trees or between bushes, Gary, Richie and Ash and their Pokemon attempted to see just who was going on about what. Once they were at good angles, they could see that one was a red-clad young woman, a hood pulled over her head, and a black dog Pokemon at her side. Across from her was an older man, dressed like some kind of half-made pirate, with a blue seal with large white whiskers standing beside him. Between them was another man, this one even older, dressed in a suit and holding a case of, obviously, papers between both arms. The girl stepped towards him.

"Give me the papers, and I'll ensure your safety with Master Maximus."

The "pirate" also moved closer, "Give them to _me_, and I'll ensure your safety with Master Archie."

"No chance," the middle-man snorted, "These papers are going back to Devon Corp, to Mister Stone, as ordered. There's no way I'll let either of you have them."

Each one was just preparing a Poke'Ball when something at each of their belts began to buzz. The woman looked down, as did the man, and both Pokemon looked up at their trainers. A small light began flashing on top a box, one each on their belts, and then a buzzer started sounding.

"Agent nineteen!" barked a voice from over the woman's device, "He's going to have to wait a while! Amatsubikei's vessel is approaching!"

"Agent twenty-one!" came a woman's voice from the box on the "pirate's" belt, "Head back to the entrance! The Angel's physical form is right there!"

"Sir?!" the woman choked.

"Ma'am?!" the "pirate" gasped.

"MOVE IT!" both boxes demanded.

She looked back at the suit, "You got lucky this time. I've got somewhere to be."

"As do I," said the other, "Good day."

Both turned off to the side, running back toward the direction they'd entered from. Running along side each other, they began cursing each other violently, each trying to shove the other to the ground at numerous points. Realizing they were headed directly at him, the boys flailed and laid down on their backs on the ground, their Pokemon hiding in the bush behind them. Both the woman and man bolted past, their Pokemon pulled back into their Poke'Balls by a stream of either red or blue. Waiting until they were well out of sight, the boys rolled over and peeked through the bush, their Pokemon popping out the other side.

"Where the heck did he go?" Richie questioned, looking in all directions.

"For an old man, he sure must be able to move," Gary noted, scratching the back of his head.

"Wait a second…" Ash shot bolt-upright, the other two humans and all three Pokemon looking at him, "Amatsubikei's physical vessel…?"

All three choked, "That's Eevy!"

*^~^**^~^*

"Geez it's dark in here," Eevy murmured, hugging Vovo close, "Maybe we _should_ have had one of them stay with us…"

"Eev-eevee-eev," Vovo informed her, wagging his tail.

"Well, I'm just so happy _you_ like it here," she narrowed her eyes, "Crazy little furball, next time I'll let _you_ stay behind alone."

"_There_ you are!"

Eevy looked quickly upward, finding that there were two people running at her. One, dressed in red, was screaming at the other, dressed in blue, and vice versa. Vovo jumped out of Eevy's arms and crouched low, growling viciously as both humans approached.

"Eeveeee…"

"I saw her first!" the one in blue shouted, "She's mine to take back to Team Aqua!"

"Like hell you saw her first!" the one in red returned, shoving him aside, "She's all mine! She belongs to Team Magma now!"

"Wait…That's it!" Eevy pounded her palm with her fist, prepared to give someone one good smack, "I remember where those two are from now! Now I know how I knew them!"

"She's even got the Crystal Bell! She's _mine_!" the woman called, an arm stretched out to grab the Bell hanging at Eevy's neck.

"She's mine now! The Crystal Bell _will_ be ours!" the other ran up next to her, also stretched to grab the Bell.

One of Eevy's eyes narrowed, "Oh, I _so_ do not think so."

Hanging just below her collarbone, the Crystal Bell began to slowly shine, and the buzzers at the Team members' belts started going off again. Both slid to a stop, the woman just a bit ahead of her counterpart, and tipped the boxes out to see. Eyes widening at the ever-growing meter, they both looked back at Eevy, backing away.

"It's true," the woman began to shake, holding both hands in front of her face, "It was all true! The Prophecy is beginning! Unbelievable!"

"She who holds the Crystal Bell!" the other covered his eyes, backing farther and farther down, "And he who controls the flames of Hell! They have come, as it was perceived!"

"Do not look upon the Bell! It is said that it will steal your soul and still your body, being if you are not pure of heart!"

"Don't look at her eyes! She has the power to control you, mind, body and soul, with the very thought of doing so!"

"Leave. _Now_," one fist clenching at her side and Vovo growling at her feet, Eevy raised a hand and pointed back into the trees, "Before I'm forced to _crush_ the both of you."

Turning, both of them ran back the way they'd come. They shoved right between Ash and the others, who were running toward Eevy. They all stopped, but were barreled out of the way anyway, and the Pokemon were nearly tripped over. As they rounded the corner, the two Team members began shouting.

"I'll be back for you! And I won't be alone!"

"Be prepared for the worst! It's coming right to you!"

Richie, Ash and Gary looked back at Eevy, "…What was that about?" Gary asked, tilting his head.

Eevy sweatdropped and shrugged, "Uhh…I dunno."

*^~^**^~^*

Still seated in front of his computer screen, Archie linked his fingers together, leaning his head down on his hands, "That power…It was tremendous. From such a young woman, that ability is remarkable. I _must_ have her. She can call upon Lord Kyogre, and complete the task I have been given. Shelly?"

"Sir," pulling the candy stick from her mouth and spinning it around, Shelly brought the leg she had up on the arm of her chair down to the floor.

"I told you I wanted no mistakes. Did you honestly think one of our mere lackeys could handle this job?"

"_You're_ the one who sent him with me."

"Insolent wench!" he barked, shooting to his feet, "How dare you even _think_ such a thing!"

She narrowed one eye toward him, talking with the rock candy in her mouth, "Oh…What's the matter, Archie babe? Afraid I might be right?"

Archie ground his teeth together, "Get _out_, Shelly. _Now_."

Shelly let out a loud, wicked, shrill laugh and hopped to her feet, "If you're _so_ worried about it, and you don't like the way I work, send that goofball Matt after them," she flipped her hair over her shoulder and headed for the door, "However, There's just one catch. If," she stopped and turned around, eyes burning their color, "And that's a _big_ if, he manages to catch that moron Tabitha from Team Magma, he's _mine_."

*^~^*Episode 5: End…*^~^*

__

A/N: Yeah, OK, that opening note was really bizarre, but at least the guy it's for will understand, right? ^^* Well, I'm off now already. Much to do, much to do.

*^~^*Pro_V*^~^*  
-=O~The Pokemon~O=-  
**Next Up:** TAA Season 5 ~ A League Of Their Own *Episode 6* ~ Flower Power!  
TAA Pokemon Of The Month: December 2003: The Sealion Pokemon ~ Seel & Dewgong

**I still don't own Pokemon...Though it would be kinda cool to...Why am I even saying this anymore? It's in my profile!**


	6. Flower Power!

**A League Of Their Own: Episode #6 ~ Flower Power!**  
An all-new style; Including a new world, new battles, and even new clothes.  
_A/N: oO I ACTUALLY got a NEW CHAPTER done? GASP! Can it be?! Yes! It's true! Now, can I get ANOTHER chapter done?! Before the end of the month?! ...Erm, probably not. ^^*_

"OK, is it just me, or is it getting _really_ dark?"

His eyes shooting side to side, Richie squeezed up between Eevy and Ash. He _was_ right, one had to admit, being that the sky was growing blacker every moment. The trees blocking what light remained beaming from above didn't help that any, and the fact that none of them had seen where either of those two people had gone made it even more unnerving. Eevy had attempted, after a moment of staring after them, to explain to the boys where she knew them from.

"I remember hearing about them a few weeks ago, right before I started planning maybe coming to Hoenn. They're part of two different organizations, seemingly rendering forces only here. The one in red was from Team Magma, and they're after some Legendary, ancient Pokemon that guards the earth. The one in blue was from Team Aqua, the opposing team, and _they're_ after some ancient Pokemon that guards the _water_. The two teams are supposed to be bitter rivals, and those who run them _despise_ each other. I'll warn you _right now_," she'd pointed right toward each one of them, "They're dangerous. Twice as dangerous as Team Rocket could ever _pray_ to be, if not more so. If you see them, either keep your distance or come get me. I've been sent to watch them as closely as I can, and if I'm able, I'm permitted to use force."

"But why…Did they run at you like that? And what were they yelling about?" Ash asked, scratching his head, "They reached for the Crystal Bell, didn't they?"

"Yes, they did," she reached up and locked a fist protectively around her necklace, "I have the oddest feeling they know more about the Prophecy than they should. Perhaps even more than I do," she released the Bell and started walking, "I guess we'll have to wait and see."

* * *

"What _is_ it with _trees_ in this region?"

Eevy folded both her arms up behind her head, sighing long and hard. All they'd been seeing was _trees_ again. If she saw _one more_ type of tree she couldn't identify, she was going to scream. Hoenn was too different, she'd decided, than Gertan Rin or Johto or Kanto. The trees, the trainers, the all-around landscaping…And hey, what kind of Pokemon was that? Not only did this region make her feel out of place, but it felt so damp and cold. And she too didn't like the way the sky was still growing darker.

"Hey, is that the end of the route there?" Richie raised a hand to point and Sparky a paw.

"Where? I can't see," Ash rubbed his eyes, spinning around and around in circles.

"THAT way, Ashy-boy," Gary snorted, grabbing his shoulders and turning him full around.

Eevy wandered around them, "It looks like the exit. I hope it is. We've been wandering _way_ too long."

"Yeah, how many times did we go in circles, Evangelina?" Ash asked, one eye narrowing.

"Hey, that was _Richie's_ fault, not mine."

"Ohhh, no. Don't go blaming me. You said it was shorter to go right."

"You could have told me I was wrong."

"I _did_."

"Enough…" Gary rolled his eyes, "I'd really like to get out of here, should those wolves, or whatever they are, decide to run us down."

Eevy, Richie and Ash paused a moment as he started forward. While she wanted to call attention to the fact that perhaps he was a bit unnerved, or even _scared_, Eevy kept her mouth shut. If she said anything, Ash would start grinding on him about it. She _really_ didn't need to try to deal with that right now, in the midst of everything else. The three of them followed quietly behind Gary, and deliberately so, partially bothered by the thought of not knowing what was on the other side of that opening. Yes, they were chickens. No, they didn't care. Stopping just before the exit, Gary poked his head out and looked left to right nervously.

"I don't see anyone," he noted, scratching his head and coming out the rest of the way, "Do you?"

"Not a soul," Richie pulled his cap off, smoothed his hair, and replaced it.

"This looks like a pretty busy road. Isn't it kind of…Strange that no one is here?" Ash questioned, Pikachu perched atop his head and Sparky joining him.

"It _is_ late, Ash," Eevy yawned, "Most people are sleeping now."

"Eev," Vovo sniffed the ground, stepping twice forward and looking up at a small brick building across the street, "Eevee."

"Hm?" Eevy looked down at him, then up at whatever he saw, "Richie, what's that building there?"

Richie clicked around on his Poke'Nav, "It _looks_ like it's the Pretty Petal Flower Shop. Why?"

"Isn't that one of the places Professor Birch told us to visit?" Gary asked, leaning in to look at the Poke'Nav.

"I think it is. Should we see if anyone's there?" Eevy looked back at the three boys, who hovered over the Poke'Nav.

Behind them, somewhere in the trees, something howled, and all three looked back at her, "Uh-huh, uh-huh," they nodded twice.

"Right then," Eevy sweatdropped, turning and bounding across the street.

* * *

Eevy sat in her chair, across the table from a young woman with short dark blue hair. Her left hand held a tea cup, which she never seemed to remove from her mouth, and her right was on the table with a pen, jotting down how to make the tea she was drinking. The girl across from her, Nicole, seemed to enjoy talking about the different ingredients enough, so Eevy kept her talking by asking if there were any good pies that could be made with any of the Hoenn Berries. Nicole responded with an enthusiastic yes and went to the next room to get something. From that same room came a younger girl, less than half Eevy's age, holding a teapot. She stopped beside the table.

"Would you like some more tea? This is Nanab Berry tea," she grinned as Eevy nodded, "This should be a little more bitter than the Razz Berry tea you just had. I hope you like it!"

Eevy patted her head and grinned, "I'm sure I will. I seem always to have had an affinity for tea."

"Great!" she put a potholder on the table and sat the teapot on it, "Then I'll just leave this here with you."

Behind her, Nicole placed a hand on her shoulder, "Natalie, please go and get her a slice of pie. I think she'll enjoy it," the younger girl ran off and Nicole sat across from Eevy again.

"Your sister seems eager to please," Eevy noted, watching Natalie run from one side of the door to the other.

"That's Natalie," Nicole shrugged, opening the book on the table in front of her, "This book has some of my best pie recipes in it. If you'd like, you can take it with you. I have two copies. One was for our sister Rita, but she's not one to cook."

"She doesn't seem it," Eevy sweatdropped, peeking out the window as Ash, Gary and Richie raced around behind the eldest sister, attempting to keep up with her, "I think she's killing them…"

Nicole just scratched her chin, "Well…Now, you said you were from…Gertan Rin? As in the island?"

"Yes," Eevy nodded, "Have you ever been there?"

"No, but Rita has," Nicole put her elbows on the table, locking her fingers together and resting her chin on her knuckles, "Before I was old enough to travel, that is. What's it like?"

"It very big," Eevy nodded, "From what I've seen so far, aside from your foliage, it's a lot like here in Hoenn. But I haven't been here long, and I could be mistaken."

"I'm sure it's a lot more different than you think," Nicole sighed, "I'd love to see someplace new someday, like our cousin Lilith. She travels in the Orange Islands, studying the plants there. She's lucky. Where else have you been?"

"To a few places in Johto and Kanto, and to a couple of the Orange Islands," she sipped her tea and sat the cup carefully back down, "Why don't you travel?"

"I have the Flower Shop to think about," she replied, sighing, "I can't decide which I love more. Our plants or the thought of traveling."

"Traveling can be a lot of hard work, but from what I've heard, so can growing some of these Berries."

"Some Berries take days and gallons of water just to sprout, especially with the strange weather we've had the past couple of days."

"Strange weather?" Eevy's eyes shot up, as she had been looking into her tea.

"Yeah, the weather has been _really_ weird for a few days now," Natalie came from the side room with a plate of pie and a fork, "It can be raining one second, then dry and hot the next."

"It really did a job on a couple of our best plants," Nicole murmured, "Every one of them was a rare Berry too. And not just rare to find; rare to grow."

"Hm…" Eevy tapped the saucer under her cup with her nail, "Would you let me see those plants? The dead ones?"

Nicole scratched her chin, "I don't see why not, though I don't see a reason either…This way please," she stood and headed for the back door.

Eevy followed quickly, pausing right beside the door, "Nicole…" she tipped her head, "This picture here, by the door…"

Nicole poked her head back in the doorway, "Oh, that one. We had another visitor a week or so ago. He said he was a Pokemon Watcher, and he sketched a few of our Berries. There was a hyper young lady with him, and she was trying her best not to get in the way and to help. She was a sweet girl. But it's very strange…Those Berries in the picture there are the Berries that died when the weather changed, and only them. He kept turning back to those bushes, and just suddenly asked if he could sketch them. He's very, very good."

Eevy nodded as Nicole continued out, "A Pokemon Watcher…And a hyper young lady…"

* * *

"These are the plants," the oldest of the three sisters, Rita, noted to Eevy as she pointed down to six slightly-brown plants in small pots, "They just couldn't take the weird weather, I guess."

Eevy knelt beside the first plant, "Tell me a little about these plants?"

"That one you're in front of is a Wiki Berry. They're pretty dry, so it probably would have survived if it hadn't poured all day for two whole days. The one next to it is a Mago Berry. They're really sweet. Then there's the Aguav Berry in the middle. They're _really_ bitter. The next one is a special Berry, found only on Mirage Island, called the Leichi Berry. They're sweet _and_ spicy _and_ sour. The next is a Watmel Berry. They're good for making pies because they're sweet and bitter at the same time. And the last one is a Durin Berry. It was one of our rarest, and that's good for leaving as a slice on iced tea or water," Nicole bent down beside Eevy, "Of course, all of these Berries have effects on Pokemon too, but your Poke'Nav can tell you that."

"Would you mind if I, maybe, just had a look at them?" Eevy looked over her shoulder, again seeing Ash, Gary and Richie flailing along behind Rita, who was fixing irrigation pipes.

"Not at all."

Eevy reached carefully down to the first plant, gently scooping up a limb. There had to have been a dozen or more small, un-grown Berries on it. It had to have died right before blooming again, and that had killed all the buds off. Eevy bent and rubbed a dry leaf between her fingers, gradually watching it grow greener. If she could help these plants, and if she could help these sisters, she was doing her job. Slowly and steadily, the Wiki Berry plant began to perk up, growing greener and healthier. Nicole gasped and covered her mouth.

"How…Are you doing that?" she asked quietly.

"I have my certain ways," Eevy replied, moving on to the next plant, "These plants are very beautiful, now that I see them blooming."

Nicole turned and ran to her sisters, "Rita! Natalie! Look! Look at those plants!" she spun and pointed, and her sisters and the boys looked over.

Rita grabbed up the Wiki Berry plant, "This one already has full-grown Berries on it. How are you bringing these plants back?"

"I suppose you could call it an acquired talent," Eevy smirked, pulling Berries off each of the plants and piling them in her shirt, "Boys, please go and find anymore plants that need some help, and help pick the extras off the others."

Ash and Richie saluted and ran off in one direction, and Gary merely turned and went the other. Natalie stood beside Eevy, watching her plucking Berries from the plants, and then began to help. Nicole rushed about, pointing out some of their skimpier plants, and Richie and Ash proceeded to help. Rita and Gary were pulling pipes around the side of the building over towards the plants Eevy was working on. Finally having tended all the plants, each one stepped back to examine the work they'd done.

"The plants look so beautiful," Nicole clasped her hands together, "The garden hasn't been so lively in a long time."

"How'd you manage to fix those plants up so quickly? It would have taken us _months_," Rita looked to Eevy.

"I don't really have a way to explain," Eevy shrugged in return.

"Eevy has been able to do that since before I even met her," Ash poked in, watching Pikachu sniffing the flowers on the Berry plants, "And that was over a year ago."

"It's strange though, because she was always more interested in _cars_ than flowers," Gary crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow to Eevy, who sweatdropped nervously.

"Hey, that reminds me," Rita pounded her fist on her palm, "I meant to ask you. You came out of Petalburg Woods, so does that mean you're heading to Rustboro?"

"Yeah, we're going to the Gym there," Richie nodded, "Why?"

"I have a shipment of special Berries to deliver to the Pokemon Center and Devon Corporation tomorrow. If you'd like, you can ride in the back of the truck," Rita grinned, "With the plants."

"That's a great idea, Rita!" Nicole clapped, "And, if you'd like, Rita can direct you to Roxanne's Gym once you're there, since Ash told me that like your affinity for tea, you also have one for getting lost."

"OW!"

Eevy left the fist she had banged into the top of Ash's head right where it was, "That would be wonderful, ladies. Thank you so much. But you know the Gym Leader's name, so can you tell me anything about her?"

"Roxanne KornerStone runs Rustboro Pokemon Gym," Natalie answered, stepping up between her sisters, "She trains Rock-type Pokemon, and she went to Rustboro's famous Pokemon Tech. She's an honor student there."

"Rock-type Pokemon? Oh boy," Eevy groaned, "I only have one Pokemon really any good for battling Rock-types."

"So do I," all three boys sighed.

"I'm sure you'll all do fine, especially judging by your Pokemon here now," Nicole pointed toward the two Pikachu and two Eevee, who were sniffing the flowers, "If you'd like, as a way to try and pay you back, you can each take a Berry or two. They might help you later on, and Natalie can help you choose."

Natalie bounced around between all four trainers, explaining each of the Berries they were looking at. Using Pikachu as a guide, Ash picked out a Leppa Berry and a Lum Berry, both of which he was hoping to find useful. Gary liked the idea of a Sitrus and a Persim Berry, and Richie took an Iapapa and a Wepear Berry. As Eevy was looking over some of the stranger Berries, Natalie pointed to one in the corner.

"That one there seems to be your Eevee's favorite."

"What is it?"

"It's called a Figy Berry. They're _really_ spicy, but I guess your Eevee _likes_ spicy."

"He loves it," Eevy reached over Vovo's head and pulled a Figy Berry from the plant he was looking at, "What else, boy?"

"Eevee!" Vovo hopped off to a second plant, biting the stem off and carrying a Berry over, "Eev!"

"What's this one?" Eevy asked as she took it from him.

"It's a Pecha Berry. Those are sweet. Your Eevee has weird taste in food," Natalie grinned.

Eevy sweatdropped, as did Vovo, "Yeah, that's true. Thank you for the Berries."

Natalie grinned, but Nicole spoke first, "Rita isn't leaving until tomorrow. Maybe you'd like to sleep _inside_ tonight?"

"Would we ever!"

"Pika!"

"Eev!"

* * *

"Ohhh, Tabithaaa…"

The Team Magma Administrator winced at that _horrible_ name. He _really_ had to find a way to get that changed, and soon too. Standing obediently up from his seat on the bench beside the door, he marched around the corner and into his "Master's" room, only to hear the door slide shut behind him. He looked across the floor at Master Maximus, who was tapping a pen on the desk irritably. Swallowing, Tabitha stood straighter.

"Sir?"

"I understand that a member of your squad was in a direct encounter with the Prophetic Angel, correct?"

"Yes, sir."

"And why, pray tell, did you not bring her to me?"

Tabitha winced again, attempting not to let it show, "Team Aqua was also there pursuing her, if you remember, sir. They were called as we were. Not only that, but I believe you've seen the power ratings she released. She could have killed us."

"Grunts are expendable," Maxie snorted, dropping the pen on the desk, "As are you, should I find the need, Tabitha."

He twitched once and almost made the mistake of rubbing his eye, but quickly snapped his arm back to his side, "Sir, I understand your impatience with us, but I assure you, sir-"

"No, Tabitha. It's not with _you_ as a group. It's _you_ alone. Courtney, I see, is progressing nicely in her research of both the Angel and of Lord Groudon," Maxie snorted loudly, "If I wasn't afraid you'd screw up what she's accomplished, I'd try switching you to information retrieval and her back to the field."

Tabitha clenched his fists, "I understand, sir."

"If you understand, then you won't fail me again," the Team Magma leader clenched his fists, "If you _do_, Tabitha…"

"Yes, sir!" Tabitha saluted sharply, his heels banging together he snapped to attention so quickly, "I'll do everything in my power, sir! You have my word, Master Maximus!"

"You are…Dismissed."

* * *

"I hope you'll come back and see us again!" Natalie grinned, handing Vovo up to Eevy as she stood in the back of Rita's truck, "And thanks for fixing up our plants!"

"No problem," Eevy patted her head, "Thank _you_ for letting us stay the night and for the Berries."

"It was no trouble," Nicole nodded, waving as Rita started the truck, "Thank you again! Please come back and see us!"

"Don't worry; we will!" Eevy flopped down beside Ash, who waved around her side, and across from Gary and Richie, who also waved.

Natalie hopped up and down before Nicole pushed on her head to keep her still. Rita clicked the radio on in the front of the trunk, switching around until she found a tolerable station. Once she had, she sped up a bit, and Eevy tucked Vovo down between Ash and herself, so as he wasn't to be swept away, and Pikachu and the others ducked down behind potted plants, every once and a while stretching to sniff them.

"Hey, Rita?" Richie poked his head through the window, into the front, "What kind of Berries are these? I didn't see any of them at back there."

"These are very special Berries, going to Devon Corporation HQ and to the Pokemon Center. They're called Enigma Berries," Rita answered, "The reason you didn't see them back there is because we don't sell them direct to the public. Devon and the Center are still researching them."

Eevy looked over at one of the strange Berries and opted not to touch it. Richie sank back into his seat, petting Sparky's head, and Gary was seemingly engrossed with his new Poke'Dex. Evo was sniffing and twitching his nose at a beetle, which just kept fluttering its wings at him, and Ash was looking at Pikachu. Hopefully, Eevy thought, he was thinking of a way to fight back against Roxanne's Rock-types. She leaned her head back on the side of the truck and absently patted Vovo at her side.

"Oh, look who I've gone and found," whispered something looking down through a spinning pool of, what seemed to be, fire, "In Hoenn are we, great Mistress? You've left your Elite unattended, but I'm not after them. When I crush you, they will die as well. Plus, I have business in Hoenn just the same," he stood and grinned wickedly, "So I will follow you. He who controls the flames of Hell shall descend upon she who holds the Crystal Bell."

"Niiiine…"

He turned his bright red gaze to the Ninetales behind him and smiled wider, "Come, Volcan. There are people waiting for us. This time, that woman will _die_!" Volcan lunged away as his Master's entire persona lit up in red flames and pitch black shadows, "Beware, Angel! The Devil cometh!"

Eevy shot up and turned quickly around, looking nervously back into the trees behind her. Turning back, she saw the boys and the Pokemon were sleeping, so she sunk back down in her spot and crossed her arms tightly. The Bell had vibrated, and her heart had skipped a beat. He was there, and he was watching. The only question was _where_?

* * *

Eevy yawned wide, her eyes just barely cracking open as the truck came to a shaky halt. Rita stood at the end of the trunk, her arms crossed under her chin, and stared up and her and her companions. Groaning, they all stretched and scratched and rubbed and whatever else they did, and wobbled to their feet.

"We're in Rustboro," Rita noted, staring at them strangely, "Hop on out and I'll tell you what's where."

Eevy jumped down first, wobbling back and leaning on the truck, and Ash was second, tripping and landing flat on his face on the ground. Gary and Richie both _slowly_ edged down to the ground, both nearly stepping on the back of Ash's head. Eevy rubbed her eye as the Pokemon perched themselves on their trainer's heads.

"You don't expect us to remember _any_ of what you'll tell us, do you? Especially not me," she coughed twice, scratching her ear.

"If you remember _one_ thing, remember that the Pokemon Center is _that_ way," Rita pointed, "If you need more directions, you can ask there, but the Gym is _that_ way, and Devon Corporation HQ is _that_ way. Got it?"

"Yeah kinda," Ash murmured, holding himself up with the truck's back bumper.

"So it's that-a-way," Richie pointed, wobbling off in the general direction of the Pokemon Center, "…Remind me never to fall asleep in the back of a truck again. Woah…"

"Thanks for the ride, Rita," Eevy waved, rushing as quickly, and as orderly, as she could after them.

"Right! Bye then!" Rita waved, "Good luck at the Gym! And don't get too lost, Eevy!"

"BAH!"

*^~^*Episode 6: End…*^~^*

__

A/N: OK, so it was short and boring...But meh. At least it proves I'm still aliiive. Anyway, on another note, did anyone else see the first episode of **Witch Hunter ROBIN** on **Cartoon Network's Adult Swim** last night? Did anyone else who did_ hear Alucard (Crispin Freeman as Amon {Alucard of Hellsing}) and Vash (Johnny Young Bosch as Haruto {Vash The Stampede of Trigun}) in the same room, on the same team? ^^ I diiid. 'Twas _most_ enjoyable. I'll have to ask someone who's seen the sub how closely it was dubbed...Also to figure out where I recognized a LOT of those voices from. oO Well, that's all! I'm off. _

*^~^*Pro_V*^~^*  
-=O~The Pokemon~O=-  
**Next Up:** TAA Season 5 ~ A League Of Their Own *Episode 7* ~ Rock And Role  
TAA Pokemon Of The Month: February 2004: The Rendezvous Pokemon ~ Luvdisc

**Since I should say I don't own Hellsing nor Trigun nor anything involved with them, I'll just say I don't own Pokemon either.**


	7. Rock And Roll

**A League Of Their Own: Chapter 07:** _Rock And Roll_  
A/N: Hey...You know something? I'm REALLY working slow lately! X___X Oh my GOD, I feel so lazy...But, I plan on changing that as soon as possible. For starters, **below the closing A/N in this chapter is a speech excerpt** of a future chapter from this series. Why? I dunno...To prove I'm not TOTALLY dead? *shrugs* Anyway, read on...And sorry again for the lack of posting. x_X 

"I'm hungry."

"Do you _ever_ think of _anything_ else?"

"…Pokemon."

Eevy groaned, smacking the heel of her hand into her own forehead. If Ash didn't stop whining about food, she was going to haul off and smack him. Every single place they passed that had any _sign_ of food, he was screeching that he was going to _die_ without eating. Gary aptly told him to go ahead and do so, which earned him Eevy-slap number three twenty one. Richie, of course, stayed out of it, opting to play with his Poke'Nav.

"Look! A hot dog stand! _Please_ let's stop!"

"FINE! Bloody hell!"

"THANK GOD!"

"Ashy-boy, you _really_ need to learn some self control."

"What?! …Hey, you didn't hit him."

"Nope. Because he's absolutely right."

"…Geez, thanks."

"No problem!"

"Eev-ee."

"Pika-pika. Pikachu!"

"Eev."

"Hey, where'd Richie go?"

"Wasn't he just behind us?"

"I thought so…Where is he?"

Richie had paused a few yards back, looking up into the air, seemingly at the clouds. He appeared, though it was hard to notice, to be slightly unnerved. His hands were loose on the Poke'Nav, and Eevy prepared to dive and catch it if it should slip out of his hands. Blinking twice, Eevy watched something strange flare across his eyes, like a faint orange mist. She took two steps back, narrowing one eye.

"Richard…" she sounded, raising a hand, "Richie…?"

"Hm?" he looked quickly down at her, "What?"

"What's the matter, Richie?" Ash asked, hesitantly backing away.

"Yeah, what's the deal zoning on us like that?" Gary questioned, crossing his arms, "We've got someplace to be."

"Pika! Pikachu!" Sparky chirped, scampering up to sit on his trainer's shoulder, "Pika!"

"Yeah, lay off him, guys," Eevy agreed, wondering to Richie's side, "What did you see?"

He looked around nervously, then whispered to her, "I think I just saw Rubeus. But I've never seen him, so I don't know."

"What is it, Eevy?" Ash asked, already taking his hot dog from the vender and tossing some ketchup packets to Pikachu.

"Nothing, Ashy-boy!" she turned quickly and smiled wide, waving her hand at him, "Just eat your lunch! Get me one with everything, hm?" she turned back to Richie, "We'll talk about it later."

Richie nodded slowly, slipping the Poke'Nav into his pocket and sighing. Eevy found herself a seat on a bench beside a fountain, stuffing an onion ring into her mouth. Gary and Ash were standing beside the vender, arguing over who was paying, whilst Richie was digging into his wallet and asking what the change was. Eevy handed an onion ring to Vovo, and Richie gave Pikachu, Evo and Sparky each a french fry. Vovo's ears twitched slightly, and he turned around as Eevy looked up over him. Seated beside them, cocking its head, was a small white bird with long wings. Chirping, it waved a wing at Vovo.

"Wing-gull-gull!"

"Hi there," Eevy grinned, patting its head, "Oh, you have a collar. Hey…" jingling the bell on the ribbon around its neck, she blinked twice, "You must be Peeko!"

"Wingull!" the bird nodded, "Gul-wing-gul!"

"You're so cute," she told her, petting her wings, "And what nice feathers you have. Hey, do you want an onion ring?"

"Wing-gull!" Peeko nodded, catching the treat Eevy threw to her, "Wing…"

"Is that little package there Mister Briney's order from the Poke'Mart, Peeko?"

"Wing."

"What a good birdie you are," Eevy clapped twice, "Why don't you take some treats back with you? Vovo, would you share?"

"Eev!" Vovo nodded, hopping down and burrowing into Eevy's backpack, "Eevee!"

"Thank you," Eevy turned and tied the bag around the string of the box Peeko had hooked around her harness, "I'll bet you'll like them. Would you take a letter back to Mister Briney for me too, Peeko?"

"Wingull!" she agreed enthusiastically, "Wingull-wing!"

Picking her backpack up, and scooping Vovo out of it, Eevy began to rummage for paper. As she was digging, she paused a moment as a shadow passed behind her. Silently peaking back, she watched a tall trainer run past and shove between two people, seemingly uncaring as to what harm he could have done to them. Trailed closely by another trainer, who jumped over the two people now laying on the ground, he vaulted over a fence and headed toward a large stone building. Both pushed through the front doors and disappeared inside. The security personnel watched them run, each narrowing an eye. First digging out her Poke'Nav, Eevy punched in the address to run a check.

"So _that's_ Devon Corporation," she murmured, looking up at the building to her right, "It's bigger than Silph Co."

Whipping out a pen and a sheet of paper, Eevy crossed her legs and began to jot her note to Mister Briney out. Gary was sitting on the edge of another fountain, staring blankly at Ash, who was seated beside him, practically inhaling his hot dog. Richie was looking him over in total disbelief that any human could possibly eat so much so fast. Pikachu was seated at his trainer's feet, devouring ketchup from the small packages he had managed to acquire, Sparky was munching on a bit of chili, and Evo was perched on his master's head, snatching a fry from him every now and again. Finishing off her letter, Eevy folded it up and slipped it into the tie of Peeko's parcel. Hopping off to the end of the bench, Peeko waved a wing back at her and chirped, bouncing off and flapping along up into the air. Proceeding to stand, Eevy released her other Pokemon, ordering for them another serving of onion rings and a serving of fries. Setting the plates down, she ordered them to share, and returned to her bench to finish eating.

"You're _still_ eating?" Ash asked indignantly, suddenly standing in front of her, "What have you been _doing_?"

She spat out her tongue at him, "Just because _you_ eat like a Gyarados doesn't mean _I_ have to."

He narrowed one eye, "Just for that, I'm going to the Gym without you for now."

"Go ahead," she shrugged, "Just try not to lose until I'm there to watch."

"I'm _not_ going to lose," he grumbled back at her, "You remind me too much of Misty. _Stop that_. _Please_. It's disturbing."

Eevy grinned evilly, turning around in her seat as Gary and Richie proceeded to follow Ash around behind her to cross the street and reach the Gym, "Hey, you guys are leaving me _too_? Oh, no fair…"

"Just don't get lost on your way over," Gary sniggered, only to get an empty soda can in the back of the head, "Heeey…"

*^~^**^~^*

"Wingull!"

Peeko turned into a spiral dive, descending to the dirt road stretching along the bank of the water route leading to Dewford Town. Chirping, she bounced quickly out of the middle of the street and up to the door of her master's small house. She whistled, fluttering up and resting on the windowsill. Beneath her, Briney was again pulling the knots from a fishing net, grumbling about it the entire time. Peeko cocked her head, then grinned wide.

"_Wing-gull-gull_!"

Briney shot up, again tangling up the netting, and heaved a few breaths, "Peeko…Oh dear, Peeko, don't do that."

"Wingull," Peeko hopped off the window and coasted in to land on the table, "Gull!"  


"What a good bird," Briney patted her head, untying the brown paper package from her harness, "What else have you got here? Treats? Well, where'd you get _them_ from? Oh, and a letter. Let's see what it says."

__

Mr. Briney,  
Thanks again for helping us out when we passed through to Petalburg Woods. It really was a great help. We've made it to Rustboro, and we stopped at the Pretty Petal Flower Shop on the way by. The sisters say hello.  
Once we've finished in Rustboro, we're going to head on back to try and get through Dewford Island. Since I'm sending this with Peeko (she's a real sweetie, by the way), I'm hoping you can find the time to take us. If not, we'll just have to swim. ~_^  
Thanks again,  
Eevy

"Did you hear that, Peeko? She thinks you're sweet," Briney placed a hand atop the Wingull's head and grinned, "I'll have to call Nurse Joy and have her give Eevy a message. Since we're heading out to Slateport, Dewford is right on the way. It's the least I can do for her complimenting you, right, Peeko?"

"Wingull!"

*^~^**^~^*

Eevy paused, watching the light above the Pokemon Center door glow as it slid open. Yawning, she wandered slowly inside, Vovo perched on her shoulder and looking in all directions. How, his Mistress wondered, was he so alert? She was dead tired, and even so, couldn't understand just why. She always worked best with the least sleep possible. She did more with one hour of sleep than she did with a full night, and today should have been no exception.

"Oh well," she voiced aloud, stretching both arms above her head, "I'll just battle Roxanne tomorrow, and then we can get right on back the way to Dewford afterwards."

"Eev-ee," Vovo nodded slowly.

"Excuse me!" Eevy looked up from Vovo toward the Nurse Joy waving at her, "If your name is Eevy, I have a few messages for you."

"Yes, that's me," Eevy nodded, placing Vovo on the counter to her side and drumming her fingers on the hard countertop, "How many messages _are_ there?"

"Four," Joy told her, rooting around through the drawer of her desk, "Two are long distance. May I have your Poke'Dex number?"

"Sure. It's seven one three…"

As his trainer rattled off the rest of the numbers to her Poke'Dex (which, by the way, is 7136599292), Vovo turned around and looked around the rest of the room. Sniffing the air, he prepared to jump down and careen toward the dining room, as he smelled apple turnovers. Eevy absently grabbed him and yanked him back, pushing his back down so as he sat. He narrowed one eye at her, then perked up as his ears twitched. Looking left to right, his eyes eventually fell on the door.

Seated on the mat just outside the main entrance was a tall, cat-like Pokemon. Its fur shined black in the sun streaking down from above, and the deep pink-purple collar around its neck was the focus of her cleaning habits, as she pawed at it and brushed every speck of dirt and every minor tangle from it. Waving her tail, her head shot up as a white and black Pokemon sprang over to her side. It sat and scratched the back of its head, yawning wide and shaking out its fur. Both Pokemon perked up, tilting their heads.

"Dimension! Kokoro! Let's go!"

Vovo stood up and Eevy turned quickly around. Whoever had called those Pokemon, who rushed quickly off toward who must have been their master, had just sent a shiver down the Champion's spine. The thin line in her mind had twanged in a manner unmistakable, and Eevy started toward the door, one slow step at a time.

"Here they are!" Nurse Joy said finally, causing Eevy to spin quickly back, "The first one came from a man named Kratos, all the way from Gertan Rin. He wants to know…Why it is you haven't checked back with him in so long."

Eevy grumbled, narrowing her eyes, "Yeah. Good for _him_. What are the others?"

"The second one also comes from Gertan Rin. This is personal, and I'm not supposed to see it," she reached over the counter and handed her a small envelope, "Slide the chip in there into the back of your Poke'Nav whenever you're ready and you can hear it. The third one comes from a Mister Briney?"

"Oh, great! What does he say?" Eevy asked, leaning all the way over the counter.

"He says thank you for commenting on Peeko…And he'll be more than happy to take you to Dewford. He wishes you luck in your Gym match as well. Are you going to challenge Roxanne?"

"Yes I am. And so are my three companions."

"Well, then I'll wish you luck too. Now, the last one is from Professor Birch, all the way back in Littleroot Town. He says to look out for Team Aqua and Team Magma, and wishes you to contact him as soon as you've gained your Badge from Mistress KornerStone. He wants to examine the kinds of effects the battle had on your Pokemon."

"I'll have to remember to do that," Eevy nodded, leaning away as the computer behind Joy started beeping, "What'd I do?!"

"It's an urgent message," Joy scampered over, clicking frantically around the screen, "Oh my…And it's for you!" she stepped aside, turning the player on.

"Eevy! Can you hear me?!"

"Ashura, what's wrong?" Eevy ducked under the gate and grabbed Vovo off the counter, "What's happened?"

"We're at the Gym," Ash panted, "Get here quick. There's something you've _got_ to see."

"I'm on my way. Thanks, Nurse Joy!" Eevy waved, tossing Vovo into her backpack and jumping over the counter, "I'll be back later!"

"Be careful, please!"

Squeezing out the Center doors sideways so as not to have to wait for them to fully open, Eevy rushed across the busy street. Vovo bounced up and down and up and down in her backpack, his ears flopping about his head in every imaginable direction. Ranting under her breath that all she wanted to do for the rest of the day was sit, Eevy grabbed a lamppost as she passed it, using it to swing herself full around and back to the street to the Gym. Finding that she couldn't check inside the windows, due to the fact that they were too high up, she grabbed the door handle and ran inside. The heavy metal door shut behind her, and her eyes went wide as could be.

Gary and Ash were seated by the wall, one holding Evo and the other holding Pikachu respectively. Gary's Arcanine lay by his side, and Ash's Croconaw sat next to him, rubbing his shoulder. Looking back to the arena, Eevy saw Richie with his Pupitar laid out behind him and Sparky in the middle of the battle, pumping his electricity into his target. The glow was too bright to distinguish what he was hitting, but Ash looked up when he noticed who had come in.

"Eevy!" he shouted, getting to his feet.

"What's going on that you went and scared Nurse Joy and my brains out?"

"PIKA!"

Before Ash was able to answer, Sparky shouted and flipped head-over-heels through the air. He hit the floor and slid away, whimpering as he attempted to push himself to his feet. Eevy looked him over, then up to what he'd been firing at. It was large and purple-grey, with two short arms and a _big_ pink-orange nose. It looked to be heavier than blazes, and locked both arms to the sides of its body. Whatever _it_ was, it was making the hair on the back of Eevy's neck stand on end.

"What…_The hell_…Is _that_?" she asked, holding her backpack close, and thus constricting Vovo.

The Gym Leader standing behind the large purple Pokemon stepped forward as Richie brought Sparky off the field, "This is my Pokemon. It's called a Nosepass."

"Then _you_ must be Mistress Roxanne KornerStone," Eevy noted, narrowing one eye, "That thing must be strong, to withstand a direct Thunder attack from a Pokemon like Sparky."

"It didn't just fight _that_ Pokemon. He fought all six of them over there," Roxanne pointed.

"I didn't see you at the Pokemon Center."

"I didn't need to go," she shrugged, "I suppose then you're my next opponent."

"Maybe," Eevy nodded slightly, "But not tonight. If you don't mind, I'd like to see my friends to the Pokemon Center, and talk something over with them."

"There will be no discussing strategies for this Gym with those who already battled me," Roxanne snapped.

"Don't take me for idiot," Eevy snorted, "I don't work that way. I just want to discuss with them how they want to handle their losses."

"Just know that Nurse Joy will be watching you. We play by the rules here in Rustboro. I've studied long and hard at the Pokemon Academy in the middle of the city; don't think I won't know if you do something off the book."

"So be it then. And _you_ should just know _I've_ studied _just_ as hard as you have," Eevy flipped her hair, landing the tied-off end over her right shoulder, "Come on, boys. We'll get your Pokemon feeling better."

Eevy assisted the boys in recalling their Pokemon and in holding Evo, Sparky and Pikachu at angles that reduced the pressure on their scrapes. Roxanne watched them exit, placing a hand on her Nosepass's head. She _knew_ that woman from somewhere, but she couldn't place where. She was someone important…Where had she seen her before?

*^~^**^~^*

"Oh my…" Professor Birch winced as Eevy pointed the videophone camera towards the ICU Gary's Arcanine lay in, "I certainly hope you'll be able to advance."

"I'm sure we will," Eevy lowered her head, "I just wish I'd been there, so I could have helped them."

"Now that's not your fault and you know it," Joshua pushed the Professor aside, "Why do you always take responsibility for everything, Eva? Stop it."

"Josh…" Eevy shook her head, "…All right. I'll try and stop. But it's hard for me to see them lose," she turned around and watched Gary pressing his hands and face against the glass of the window, like a three year old at an aquarium.

"Go and see to your friends," Birch smiled weakly, "Just be sure and let us know of any new developments."

"Yes, sir. Bye. Bye, Josh."

Turning the microphone around, Eevy hooked it back into the phone. She scratched Vovo's ear as he pounced off the desk and scampered off to sit by Ash and his Croconaw. Standing, she wandered over to the glass looking into the room Gary's Arcanine was sleeping in, stopping beside the Oak boy himself. He still had his face and hands against the glass, fogging it up a bit where he was breathing on it. He might have been hard nosed, but he cared about his Pokemon more than Ash would probably ever notice. Eevy sighed, looking in at the Pokemon as well, who had two Chansey walking about around him.

"…Garick…"

"Hm?" Gary's eyes shot off in her direction, "What?"

"Are you going to be all right?"

"Only if my Arcanine is," he grunted, turning his right hand to a fist and gently bopping the window, "That stupid Nosepass kicked the hell out of him."

"Well…Why did you use a Fire-type against a Rock-type? You know the type advantages, Gary. You knew that was a bad choice."

"Don't heckle me," he snorted, turning around and leaning back against the glass, "My Arcanine knows plenty of moves that are strong against Rock-types. And he's one of my highest-leveled Pokemon. He was faster than that ugly purple boulder. And he hit him _three times_. It was like it didn't cause any damage at all."

"Well, there are reasons, logical ones, for that. Your Arcanine can't deal the extra damage multiplier from moves not of the Fire-type. If that Nosepass has the typical high defense of Rock-types, it's believable that it would take at least that many hits to cause a dent, considering your own Pokemon's statistical workings."

"…Stop going technical on me."

Eevy sweatdropped and grinned stupidly, "Sorry…But it's true, you know."

"Yeah, I know," he sighed, wandering across the hall to the opposite wall and seating himself on a bench, "I just wish I could have won. It's been a while since I really…Lost."

Eevy followed him after a moment of watching him droop, sitting beside him and wrapping an arm around his shoulder, "Come here, kid," she tugged him to lean on her shoulder, "Do you remember when you were little, and I used to babysit you? I was thirteen and you were still nine, and you got all ticked off, even though you were turning ten in a couple months?"

"Yeah, I remember."

"That was the year before you left to train Pokemon. You left when you were eleven instead of ten, because your grandfather wanted you to; remember that?"

"Yes."

"I used to wonder why he made you wait. I figured for a while after meeting Ash that it was because he wanted you to leave the same year as he did. I figured out the real reason after a while," she looked down at him, finding his eyes focused up on her questioningly, "It was because of your attitude. It _was_ because he wanted you to leave the same year as Ash, so you had a rival that could challenge you. You would have been the only trainer leaving that year if you'd left when you turned ten. He wanted someone out there at the same time that would be able to show you how things were _supposed_ to be."

"I _know_ how to train and treat Pokemon."

"I know you do. But your attitude toward other people was never very good. You _have_ to admit that. You only listened to your sister and me because you knew us so personally," she flopped an arm around his neck, hugging him tighter, "Life isn't all winning. Sometimes you _have_ to lose, Gary, to show you what's important. You learned that the most the year you lost in the Indigo League," she patted his shoulder as he flinched, "You've accepted that loss very well, and I'm proud of you. You've grown up a lot in the time I missed with you and your training, but you've still got a long way to go if you're going to let this stop you," she leaned down to his ear, "Where's that snappy, pushy little boy I remember?"

He looked up at her and cracked a half grin, "When you battle Roxanne tomorrow…I'll go with you."

"Good boy," she patted his shoulder and sat him up straight, getting to her feet, "I just remembered I got a message I want to listen to. I'll talk to you later, all right?"

She waved back over her shoulder at him, then off to the side at Ash and Richie, who were poking away at the food they'd ordered in the cafeteria. Finding herself a seat on the opposite side of the aisle they sat in, Eevy requested a salad and a soda, and pulled out her Poke'Nav. Flipping it over, she slid the chip Nurse Joy had given her into the back and pulled the earpiece from the side of the unit. She hooked it to her ear and proceeded in popping the screen open and pushing play.

"Hey, love. It's Lance," he waved at the screen, "I'm _really_ hoping I'm doing this right…This is the first time I've sent a message like this. I hope you're having a good time in Hoenn, or at least doing your job. Oh, hell, I miss you. It's dull around here without you, and lonely. Every second you're gone is like forever and a day. I don't want to upset you, but I'm losing my mind without being able to see you. I can't wait until you get back. You'll probably find all of us here dead of boredom or something. Come home soon, sweetheart, please? I miss you. I want to be able to tell you that face to face. I just…Ah, I'm upsetting myself, and probably doing the same thing to you, so I'll stop now. Good luck on your Gym matches and everything else you're doing over there. And don't forget about poor little me, all alone back here. Talk to you later, when I can. I love you, Evangelina. Ja ne."

*^~^*Chapter 7: End*^~^*

_A/N: Wow...Another pretty MEH chapter...Ah well. ^-^* I liked it. The next chapter should turn out to be EXTREMELY long. o__O And then I have...Oh...THIRTY-some more chapters to work on. -- But MEH, I have too much planned to stop any time soon. Anyway, I'm currently preparing the last little bits of the new layout for the main site...And **if you're a member of the Quilting Bee, trade patches with me!** ^^* Shameless plug. Heehee...Oh, and my current obsession is **Maroon 5** WHEE! ^___^ Heheh...Anyway, you can find the **speech excerpt** below. You PROBABLY won't have a clue what's going on or who's talking, but that's OK, because you're not exactly supposed to. ^^*_

*^~^*Pro_V*^~^*  
**Just to keep the copyright hounds away, I do NOT own Maroon 5 or anything in association with them. -- ...I do have a copy of their CD though. ^^* And while I'm at it...I don't own Pokemon either. xX**

**Excerpt:** _"A League Of Their Own"; Chapter #24 *Quitting Is Not An Option*_

"Do you want to know what _I_ think?"

"What do you think?"

"I think you're letting a couple of silly losses get to you way to much. Did you ever stop and think that maybe even _you're_ not invincible?"

"I know that."

"_Do you_? The way you're frumping right now for some reason tells me you're lying."

"Leave me alone."

"You know, when I saw you in Lilycove, I wasn't sure it was you. You look different, and you're acting different now that I see you. You seem hardened. You're not a little kid anymore, I'll give you that, but you're not queen of the world either."

"I _know_ that."

"You know…Where I come from, there's a legend. A long time ago, there were two Pokemon who protected the city. They were called Latios and Latias. At one point, the city was under attack, and Latios and Latias were needed to protect the entire city. In the end, Latios sacrificed himself to save Alto Mare and everyone in it. His spirit became the Soul Dew, and we still have that same Soul Dew in the hidden garden where the next generation of Latios and Latias live, in the heart of Alto Mare. To this day, they continue to protect us, no matter how many times they have to give up their lives to do so."

"Mhmm…Ross?"

"Hm?"

"You talk to much."

"Heh…Yeah, maybe. So what are you up to tomorrow?"

"Well…I'll tell you what…You get us to Mossdeep tonight, and one of the first things I'll get to tomorrow is getting to the Gym."

"Now _that_ is what I wanted to hear. To Mossdeep!"

"…You still talk too much." 


	8. Honor Role

**A League Of Their Own: Chapter 8:** _Honor Role_  
A/N: Wow...I'm a total bum. GEEZ, I'm so insanely lazy! xX Well, here's the next chapter...It's not so great, but I suppose it's not as horrible as some of my stuff is. Aside from that, not much to say. Have fun... 

Pants, shirt, belt, shoes, hair, face, bag, Pokemon. Checklist done. Eevy wandered down the hallway of the Pokemon Center, sipping on a bottle of grapefruit juice and holding the loop of her backpack over her shoulder. She looked to her left into one of the side rooms, grinning slightly at Ash, who was asleep with Pikachu's tail draped over his face, and at Richie, who was sleeping on the floor with his legs up on the couch beside Ash's head. She continued down the hallway, waving out the next door at Nurse Joy, who was working away on her computer. Pausing a few feet farther, she sighed and watched Gary sleeping on the bench, only half-covered with his coat with his left arm under his head as a pillow. Evo had since retired to his Poke'Ball, which sat atop Gary's backpack at the side of the bench.

Eevy turned and stood in front of the window Gary's Arcanine rested on the other side of, watching as he slept. Arcanine's ear twitched, and his tail wagged twice. The Chansey standing beside the bed jotted something down on her chart, waddling off without a sound to hang the clipboard on the end of the bed. Eevy put a hand up on the glass. _I know you're going to be all right, Arcanine. It was just a few bruises and some bad bumps. Wake up soon, if not for yourself for your master. Next time, you'll do it. I promise._ Turning back around, she quietly crossed the hall and crouched down in front of Gary. _I know you wanted to come, especially after what I said last night. But you need sleep, and you need to be here when Arcanine wakes up._ She leaned forward and pushed his hair up, kissing his forehead. _Sleep well, kid._

He stirred a bit, and she quickly stood and backed away. Stretching both arms above her head, her fingers locked together and her palms upwards, she stepped out the door and stopped beside Nurse Joy's desk. The nurse looked around the monitor and smiled at her, pleased that she wasn't the only one awake already for a change.

"Good morning, miss," she said, "Would you like something to eat?"

* * *

"So, I understand Roxanne went to school at the Pokemon University here in Rustboro."

Nurse Joy nodded across the table at Eevy, scooping more omelet onto her fork, "Yes. She teaches there now. She's very strict, but she's an exceptional trainer. She was Gym Leader here when I first came to work here at the Center."

"She seemed to not like the idea that I might have been using Gary, Ash and Richie as sightseers into her strategy."

"Yes, she's always that way. She found out quite some time ago that there was a group of trainers out there who were doing that," Nurse Joy shook her head, "She doesn't really trust any new people now."

"Well, she has nothing to fear from me."

"I'm sure she knows that. She's just like that. She has a need to keep up the rules of battling, being both a Gym Leader and a teacher. But, I see now, you have even more reason to do the same."

Eevy stopped chewing, half a slice of bacon hanging from her mouth, "Excuse me?"

"You were on the news today," Joy smiled weakly, "Well, not really on the news…On Early Birds with Gabby and Ty."

"Who?" Eevy narrowed one eye.

"Gabby and Ty are independent reporters. Ty works the camera, and Gabby reports on what they see. They wander around Hoenn sometimes, searching for new trainers to cover. You were on earlier this morning, and they thought they liked the looks of you and your friends. Someone called in to them, and told them who you were. Your name is Evangelina, correct? You come from Gertan Rin, across the sea, west of Kanto and Johto."

"I do," she murmured.

"You're the Champion over there. You own our Hoenn League. You're here to attempt to conquer us, aren't you?" she grinned as Eevy paled significantly, "It's all right, I'm not going to start spreading things about you. I was just interested to know if what their informant said was right. Your brother is Master Morty of Ecruteak City, yes?"

"Good ol' Mortimer…" Eevy snickered, "Yes, he's my brother."

"And Eusine, the Legendary Pokemon Researcher. He's your cousin," she clapped as Eevy nodded, "Wonderful!"

"Why so wonderful?" Eevy asked, raising an eyebrow, "Is there something I'm missing?"

"This," Joy pulled a piece of paper from the pocket of her apron, sliding it across the table to her, "I think you and your brother and cousin, and possibly you, may be interested in meeting this young man and this young woman."

"Who are they?"

"They come from a place called Orre," Joy explained, "They passed through here a while ago, and left this paper with me. They requested that I give it to someone who could pass it to anyone with the last name Hikoboshi, so that it would find it's way to you three."

"What were their names?" Eevy asked, picking up the paper and looking it over.

"Wesley Keel and Mirei West, if I remember correctly," Joy scratched her chin, "I wish I could have read that, to tell you what it says, but it's all a bunch of shapes and symbols. I'm sorry I can't be of more help."

"It's all right," Eevy murmured, dazedly staring at the paper, "I can read it just fine, thank you."

"You can…Read that? Oh my…"

"Thank you for getting this to me. It will be of great help in the future," Eevy nodded, finally managing to tear her eyes off the note, "I'm afraid I'll need to cut our conversation short. I need to be getting to the Gym. If my friends wake up before I get back, please tell them where I went and to stay here and wait for me. If I get any calls, please hold them for me."

"Absolutely," Joy nodded, standing as Eevy did, "Good luck at the Gym."

"Thank you, Joy," Eevy smiled wide, peeking over the back of her chair, "Boys, let's go."

All six of her Pokemon looked up from their plates, "Ee!" they grinned.

* * *

Eevy slowly wandered Rustboro City's main street, looking over the small white piece of paper Joy had given her. It was unlined, but had perfectly straight and even pen strokes, and was written in plain black gel ink. Judging by the smell of ink on the paper, which was pretty weak, the letter had to have been written a few months before. There were no signs of aging on the paper; no yellowing or fraying. Perhaps, however, the letter had been written months before, but delivered only a week or so prior to her arrival. No…Joy had said it had been some time since they'd passed through.

Who else, besides Kratos and herself, knew she'd been planning a trip to Hoenn? Only head of League security Ensign Treaty, as far as she was aware. Maybe Vic and V, but she doubted Ensign would have bothered sending them memos on it. Eevy looked up at the street light. Red. Maybe it'd be a better idea to read this letter fully, instead of just glancing it over. It was still early; she had time. The strange symbols on the paper were familiar to her; a Prophetic language she'd needed to learn to read the small blue book Raikou had left on her pillow one night. Who other than herself knew how to read and write it? Now she was suspicious, so she leaned against the building nearest the light and proceeded to read.

My most respected Mistress of Gertan Rin,  
You must pardon the informal means by which this letter is to be delivered to you, and also the language in which it has been written. Sources indicate to me you have learned the Prophetic script, and will easily be able to understand what I am telling you.  
I am Wesley Keel, from a continent to the east of Kanto, called Orre. There I work against Team Snatch and Team Shadow's special division Cipher. They are currently building on the idea of creating shadow Pokemon, which are incapable of being reawakened to their former selves. My partner here is Mirei West, and together we are doing well against Cipher.  
However, this is not the reason I have come to call your attention. It is my understanding that you, it is known by people such as Mirei and myself, are the vessel for the soul of Amatsubikei of Ho-oh's Prophecy. As is Ensign Treaty, Mirei and I are mortal guardians to your Prophecy, and have been called by said security officer to aid in your stand against the one known as Rubeus.  
I have left this letter with Nurse Joy of Rustboro City, knowing by my latest correspondence with Ensign that you will soon be passing through on your latest work in the Hoenn region. Mirei and I are, however, currently stationed on Scissor Island off the northeastern coast of Hokubu. It would do me great honor if you would be kind enough to give us the pleasure of your presence when you have returned from Hoenn.  
Should our services be required beforehand, Ensign has been instructed to notify us if need be, therefore, contacting him would be the fastest way of establishing communications with us if the situation should dictate as such. We truly wish this does not come to pass, and wish you the very best of luck on your current mission. Thank you for your precious time.  
Most sincerely,  
Wesley Gordon Keel & Mirei Li West  
League Security; Outer Limits Division

"So…They work under Ensign. Seems the little chain-smoker knows a few things he neglected to tell me," Eevy sighed and started slowly across the street just as the light turned green, "Wesley Gordon Keel and Mirei Li West, of the Orre region. I remember Ensign saying he had people stationed out there, to counter Cipher. Are they it?"

* * *

Eevy stood outside Rustboro Gym's front entrance, her arms crossed behind her head and her eyebrows raised. The place was strangely active for the early hours, unlike most of the Gyms she'd seen in Kanto, Johto and Gertan Rin. The Orange Islands Gyms were typically kept up well, and probably only because Drake had been instructed to keep them so, but everyone in Rustboro seemed to be awake, and the Gym appeared to be the most active building. Aside, that is, from Devon Corp. She glanced off in the general direction of the towering Devon Corporation head office, at the large stained glass clock face on the front of the tower. Just a few minutes to quarter to seven. Time to get to work.

Yawning lightly, she brought her arms to her sides, raising one to open the door of the Gym. Stepping in, she winced at the cold rush of air that wafted from inside. She did, however, understand why it was so frigid; Rock-type Pokemon favored better in cold air, hence their love of caves. In light of this, she decided to tolerate it and finish what she'd come to do.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are…" she murmured, looking about in all directions, "Oh, Roxanne…"

"Back again, I see, miss."

Eevy turned off to her right, to a trainee leaning on a shovel, "Again?"

"You came here yesterday when your friends called you, isn't that right?" he questioned, standing up straight and plunging the shovel into the ground to stand it up.

"Yes, I did. I came back on my own to challenge Roxanne."

"Mistress KornerStone should show up any minute now. She went out to get her Nosepass out from behind the building."

"What was her Pokemon doing back there?"

"She lets her Nosepass sleep underground overnight sometimes, to help strengthen its rock armor. She perfected the technique herself, and all of her students who use Rock-type Pokemon do the same. Including me," he looked up as a light bell rang from the back hallway, "She's just come in now."

Eevy turned toward the hall, waving her fingers at Roxanne as she stopped dead in the middle of the doorway, "Good morning," she grinned stupidly.

Roxanne stared at her a moment, then laughed once, "It's good to see you're up early and ready. I was expecting you to come today, but I didn't think you'd come now. It's not even seven yet."

"I was up at six," Eevy shrugged, "I'm a night owl and an early bird. You know why I'm here though."

"I'm sure," Roxanne nodded, "I must apologize for my behavior yesterday. I had just had a horrible battle just before your friends arrived, and it left me feeling pretty disagreeable."

"A loss could do that to anyone. No need to apologize."

"It wasn't the loss that bothered me. It was the person I battled. I'm not normally a violent, or even a hateful person…But by the end of the battle, all I wanted to do was _strangle_ him."

Eevy blinked twice, "Was his name, by any chance, Daemeon?"

"Do you know that disgusting creature?"

"_Know_ isn't quite the word…More like _hate_."

Roxanne nodded, "Yes. Much," she crossed her arms and smiled slightly, "How would you like to battle? Would a two on two be sufficient?"

"You're the Gym Leader," Eevy sweatdropped, "But a two on two would be fine."

"Good," Roxanne turned to her trainee, "Craig, would you please referee for us?"

"Certainly, Mistress KornerStone," he nodded, rushing off to retrieve the flags from the corner of the room.

"You seem to take good care of your trainees. I hope you're the same way with your students," Eevy noted, watching Craig running around to set up the arena.

"Most of my trainees are my older students," Roxanne turned and took but a few paces to step into her trainer box, "And they're very important to me. Perhaps you'd like to see one of my classes sometime?"

"I'd enjoy that," Eevy agreed, backing up into her own box.

Eevy looked down as the railings raised from the floor, and the podium raised _maybe_ two feet. Roxanne recalled her Nosepass, setting two Poke'Balls down in the tray in the corner of the railing. Eevy shrugged, doing the same, and straightened her belt after doing so. Roxanne crossed her arms again.

"You catch on quick."

"I'm used to having to learn things quickly," Eevy sweatdropped, clearing her throat, "Shall we begin then?"

"Most surely. Craig, please open the battle."

Stepping up onto his own podium as it began to rise, the trainee turned and took hold of the controls. Flicking on the overhead lights, he maneuvered the top of the podium out a few feet closer to the arena. Eevy liked the setup here. It was advanced in a technological nature, but still classic enough to suit her needs. She'd have to suggest such things to the _wonderful_ Kratos.

"This will be a two on two battle between Mistress Roxanne KornerStone of Rustboro City, and her challenger currently holding no Hoenn League badges. During the battle, the challenger will be permitted to switch between the chosen two Pokemon, and the Gym Leader will not. Please battle under accordance of the Hoenn League official rules, and let the battle begin."

"Graveler," Roxanne tossed the left Poke'Ball in the tray down onto the floor, "You first."

"I figured you'd start with something like that. Novo, you can start for me," dropping the blue Poke'Ball over the bar, Eevy snatched it as it bounced straight back up to her, "Good luck, little buddy!" she chirped.

"A Water-type. A very strong choice," Roxanne nodded once, "And an evolved Pokemon, from Kanto. That must mean this isn't your first League trip."

"You got that right," Eevy grinned, "Let's show her what we mean. Go, Novo! Water Gun attack!"

"Graveler, use your Rock Throw to block it."

It disturbed Eevy how calmly Roxanne delivered her orders. Still, the Pokemon did as it was told, and dropped a series of rocks down in front of the Vaporeon's spray of water. Novo stopped and cocked his head, flicking his tail irritably side to side. Graveler pounded his fists on the ground, calling out once before sitting still.

"Graveler, use your Magnitude."

"Use Whirlpool!"

Slamming his tail to the ground, a large whirlpool shot up from the floor behind Novo. Whipping around his side, it crashed into Graveler's face, pushing him back. Grunting under it, his short legs gave way, and it bowled him full over, and he rolled twice before digging his thick fingers into the ground to stop. He stood up straight, cracking his fists together angrily.

"That was a good way to stop his attack," Roxanne conceded, "But try and stop Graveler's Rollout attack!"

Eevy choked, as she had actually just _issued_ an attack, "Novo, Waterfall now!"

Again bringing water up from behind his back, Novo this time turned it to push himself up and over Graveler's rolling path. The Rock-type splashed through the wave that remained, using a rock on the other side to ricochet back and roll completely over the Vaporeon, from tail to head. Once more hitting a rock in his way, Graveler uncoiled and laughed, banging his fists. Novo got to his feet, teetering side to side with his tongue hanging out.

"Novo, do you need to come back?" Eevy asked, leaning over the bar, "Or do you want to keep trying?"

"Vapor…" Novo shook his collar fins out, puffing them up, "Vaporeon!"

"That's my boy," Eevy grinned, clapping, "Go, Novo! Aurora Beam attack, now!"

A beam swirling with shards of ice shot from the Vaporeon's mouth, smashing through numerous rocks and heading straight for Graveler's face, "Graveler, use your Rollout."

The boulder-like Pokemon coiled tightly up, bouncing once and rolling headlong into the oncoming attack. Rolling furiously against the ice, Graveler gradually began to spin more slowly, pressing the attack back on the Vaporeon with more and more force. Novo's tail whipped side to side angrily, and his Mistress noted his growing agitation by watching how hard, fast, and frequently his fins swished.

"Let up slowly on your attack, Novo! Let it get a little closer!"

Novo did as he was ordered, gently and steadily easing his pressure on the attack. Graveler began spinning faster again, rolling closer and closer each time Novo withdrew more of his ice. Roxanne watched silently. Why was she doing that? Any kind of Headbutt or Skull Bash attack that she might issue against the Rock-type when it got close enough would cause more damage to _her_ Pokemon than Graveler, being that it was a Normal-type and non-effective attack. Oh well. If she wanted to be stupid about it, let her.

"Just a little closer, Novo…A little more…Little more…" Eevy pounded her fists on the railing, "There! Completely release the pressure of the attack and jump!"

Roxanne nearly choked on the nothingness she was able to bring in, as the blue Pokemon with the pink sheen pounced clear over her Graveler and hissed. The rock rolled forward, smashing into a rock and bouncing back in the complete opposite direction. Roxanne ordered for him to uncoil, but the force of his hit was far too much for him to stop at will. He'd need to slow down before he was able to unfurl.

"Novo, rotate descent and use your tail!"

"Graveler, Defense Curl attack, now!"

Graveler's body glowed slightly white as Novo plummeted into him with his tail. Smashing down atop the rocky Pokemon, the Water-type froze just that way. He stayed there, suspended by his tail, and waited. The force of his hit had stopped Graveler dead, and he sat there, still as the stone he was, and did not move. Roxanne's Pokemon's body rolled slightly under the Vaporeon hovering above it, and Novo hopped down. Spinning on one foot, he prepared to attack, should Graveler be ready for me. Rolling himself back out, Graveler groaned and laid on his back in the center of the arena.

"Graveler is unable to battle! Round one goes to Vaporeon!"

"Yay!" Eevy sprung side to side, "Stupendous job, Novo!"

"Vaporeon," Novo cocked his head and chirped, grinning sweetly back at his trainer.

"That was a very good battle," Roxanne said, recalling her Graveler, "I very much enjoy your tactics. I didn't think a simple non-credited attack could cause such damage."

"On your Graveler's already weakened Rock and Ground-type body, which was weakened even further by its constant rolling into the attack, a plain attack like that could cause a good amount of damage. Or at least so I've been told," Eevy shrugged.

"Those attacks were very well executed," the Gym Leader noted, taking the second Poke'Ball from the tray and placing Graveler's in the first empty slot, "You battle like a Master."

Eevy gave a kinked, sarcastic grin, "Really…"

"Now let's continue. Your turn, Nosepass! Let's go!"

Eevy watched intently the Poke'Ball that flew over the railing and crashed to the floor below. From it emerged a light gray light, which morphed into an odd, blocky-looking Pokemon. It let out a slow, nosey-sounding call.

"Nose…Pass…" it murmured, unhooking its magnetic arms from its sides.

"I really…Really…_Don't_ like the look of that thing…Well, let's go, Novo! Waterfall attack, now!"

"Nosepass, use your Sandstorm."

There she goes again, speaking the orders instead of calling them. Novo scampered to a stop, sliding to slow down, and turning to pounce away and hide behind a rock until the storm subsided. He crouched there, wrapping his tail partway around the rock to hold himself steady.

"Nosepass, use Lock-On."

Eevy choked, almost facefaulting, "Novo, that's not going to work! Get out of there before he pinpoints you!"

The Vaporeon had just begun to move when a tight square of red light locked in around him. He shrieked, pouncing around in attempts to shake it off. Eevy winced. This wasn't going to be pretty.

"Nosepass, use your Rock Tomb attack!"

Eevy covered her eyes. Rock _what_? Oh, that sounded _bad_…Novo looked up and turned a pale, pale bluish white. He attempted to spring away, but a large rock dropped right in front of him, blocking his path. He shrieked and turned to run, but a second slammed down to his side, a third to his other side, and the last to his back. A fifth and final rock dropped down atop all the rest, sealing him in. There was a light whimper from within and Eevy prepared to jump the railing to go and remove the boulders entrapping her Pokemon.

"Nosepass, take the rocks away now, before you cause him anymore harm!"

Eevy watched as Roxanne pointed to the rock formation at the corner of the ring, and as her Nosepass raised both short arms. All five rocks lifted and crumbled in the air, and Novo lay where he had stopped, eyes spiraling round and round. Eevy sighed, taking his Poke'Ball from the tray.

"Novo, return now," tapping the top of the Poke'Ball after bringing him back, she sat it down in the tray and picked up her second Pokemon, "This is between just you and Nosepass now, buddy. I'll bet all my earnings on you, and tell you to do your best!" swinging her arm around from her side, she threw the half white sphere out over the arena, where it landed right in front of Nosepass.

Roxanne looked at it silently, her eyes then gone wide, "I…Must say…That certainly isn't what I'd expect someone to use against me, but…"

"Don't underestimate him. He's a very skilled Pokemon," Eevy retorted silently, "And he'll not be outdone by a big, immobile boulder."

"Jolt! Jolteon!" the Electric-type crouched, scuffing his right front paw, "Jolt!"

"If you say so, I suppose. Go, Nosepass! Double Team attack!"

"Lovo, use your own Double Team, now!"

Needless to say, it was quite entertaining to watch Nosepass making copies of itself, whilst Lovo was able to do the same at four, if not five times the speed. Both Pokemon finally stopped moving, one scuffing up dirt with his paw, and the other unlatching his arms from his sides. Lovo narrowed one eye at the large rocky Pokemon in front of him on the arena. Was this thing supposed to pose him a _problem_? It wasn't even moving!

"Your Jolteon's Double Team is quite impressive," Roxanne held her elbows across her stomach, "But I'm afraid even that won't save it from Nosepass's Sandstorm!"

Nosepass began to swing its arms around at its sides like propellers, turning them in opposite directions. From beneath it tore gushes off sand, beginning to swirl in the center of the arena. The winds that kicked it up collided, forming a good-sized twister. Nosepass managed to shift slightly off to the side, producing a second, larger twister to its left side. Lovo bounced left to right to avoid the oncoming attacks, then spun around on one paw and took off in a sprint between the two sandy tornadoes.

"Lovo!" Eevy leaned back and paled as one of the two spinning masses of sand whipped past her podium, "Lovo, use Thunderbolt!"

The small yellow blur that was Eevy's Pokemon shot toward Nosepass's unmoving body. Sliding to a fast halt directly in front of his opponent, the Jolteon fired up a hefty dose of electricity, which slammed straight into the bit of body showing beneath Nosepass's huge orange nose. Backing up, Lovo gulped and twitched. That…Hadn't done anything. Oh boy…The quills on his back shot straight up when Nosepass proceeded in dropping a pile of rocks down in front of him. He sprung away, gnarling angrily.

"All right, Lovo. Let's get started now!" Eevy cracked her knuckles, "Go and use Thunder!"

"Nosepass, use your Zap Cannon."

Eevy blinked twice, telling herself continuously that she had to have heard wrong. There was no way a Pokemon like Nosepass could _possibly_ use an Electric attack, and especially not one like Zap Cannon. When she saw that the Rock-type was indeed charging for the attack, she clenched her fists atop the bar around her podium.

"Lovo, use your Agility!"

Just after releasing the very beginning of his attack, Lovo cut off the power to the string of electricity weaving through the air. Coiling up, he sprang quickly away from the sphere of thunder that erupted from Nosepass's spinning arms. He kept running, bouncing off standing rocks and scuffing up dirt from the crumbled ones.

"Lock-On and Zap Cannon again, Nosepass!"

"Lovo, keep going! The faster you run, the less damage it'll cause!"

After five complete circles around the arena, the Zap Cannon was finally able to catch up to the running Electric-type, catching him in the back and shoving him near the edge of the arena. Shrieking, Lovo dug in his heels and scampered quickly away from the outline. Sighing as he did so, Eevy drummed her fingers on the bar. Nosepass was only Rock-type. Granted, Electric attacks wouldn't cause _much_ damage, but they should at least be doing _something_? Where was its weak point?

"Nosepass, use Rock Tomb attack!"

"Lovo, Double Team!"

The Jolteon slid left to right, leaving in his wake to either side slight copies of himself. He succeeded in duplicating himself about six times before he realized what was happening. Nosepass dropped a rock right down on top of each of his clones, and finally one flat atop his real self. He yelped and Roxanne threw out one arm.

"Rock Tomb again! Nosepass, go!"

Eevy winced, as Lovo couldn't move with that rock on his back. He couldn't go anywhere when he was unable to get off the ground. She had no choice but to let the attack hit him, and hope that when the rocks were removed that he was still able to fight.

"This is no good at all," Eevy murmured, chewing slightly on her bottom lip, "We've hardly had any chance to go on the offensive. She's had us defending the entire time. Maybe that's where I'm messing up. Ah, I've got it now."

Four boulders surrounded the Electric-type pinned to the arena floor, and a fifth one blocked him in. Knowing just by the way there was no sound from within that the Jolteon was still very much aware of what was going on, and was playing silent, Roxanne refused to remove the rocks just yet. She crossed her arms, suddenly aware of Eevy's slight giggling.

"Might I ask what it is you find amusing?"

"Oh, nothing," Eevy held her wrist behind her back, "Just thinking about something."

Roxanne looked back at the stack of stones concealing Lovo to find that the cracks between the rocks were beginning to glow. That was _not_ a good sign. Beaming and cracking from within, the rocks were thrown away, and a sparking Jolteon crouched angrily inside. Lovo hissed, dragged his foot, and careened toward Nosepass at what even Eevy observed as fast.

"A Rage attack. An intense one at that," Roxanne murmured, "Nosepass, Rock Throw!"

"Lovo, use your Agility, and pull into a Pin Missile attack!"

Scuffing off to the side, Lovo leapt away from the rain of rocks falling from above. Crashing down on all fours, he crouched and raised his pins. No more mister nice Jolteon.

"Jolt! Jolteon!"

Firing off his back and sides, a hail of needles shot toward Nosepass's face. It began to spin its arms and hit them away, but it was unable to protect its face. Its nose was a more than free target, and that was exactly what Eevy wanted.

"Keep hitting it, Lovo! Don't let up any pressure! If you can, even give it more!"

"Nosepass, Magnitude!"

"Protect yourself!"

Firing up a wave of thunder, Lovo formed around himself a warping storm of electricity. When the shower of stones increasing his weight dropped down atop him, the waving lightning was easily able to dissolve them. Roxanne and her trainee stared at this, as that was…_Very_ disturbing. How had she done that? How had she _known_ to do that? Roxanne was drawn to look back to her Nosepass, as she suddenly noticed it was…

"Tipping! Perfect, Lovo! Now go, and use Double Kick attack right at its nose!"

"Nosepass, Explosion!"

Lovo wasted no time in cutting his attack and springing up above Nosepass's head. Gasping, Roxanne realized her mistake. There was no way her Pokemon was going to be fast enough to get its attack powered up and released before that Jolteon was able to land its attack. Lovo spun in the air, connecting both back feet right into Nosepass's face. Let out a loud grunt, Nosepass bowled over, landing flat on its back and sparking slightly. Its arms moved sloth-like at its sides, and it let out a flat chime.

"Nose…Nose…Pass…"

"Nosepass is unable to battle! Round two and the Rustboro Gym match goes to Jolteon!"

"Nosepass!" Roxanne hopped off the back of her podium and rushed around and out to her Pokemon, "Oh no, Nosepass. I've got to get you to the Pokemon Center."

"Lovo!" Eevy lifted herself over the bar of her box and caught her Pokemon as he scampered over to her, "You did so well, my little sweetie!"

Roxanne and her trainee assisted Nosepass in getting back on its feet, "Craig, please treat Nosepass with this Paralyze Heal," Roxanne handed him a bottle of yellow medicine, "And please see that he's in his Poke'Ball and ready to go to the Pokemon Center when I'm through."

"Of course, Mistress," Craig nodded, taking the medicine and nodding.

"Paralyze Heal?" Eevy tilted her head as Roxanne wandered slowly over to her, "How did it get paralyzed? Lovo didn't release any kind of attack that would do that, did you?"

"Jolt," Lovo shook his head, then tilting it.

"It could have been your Jolteon's Ability. Does it have the Ability of Static?" Roxanne asked, patting Lovo's head.

"I…Honestly don't know. I never knew about Abilities until I came here to Hoenn, and I've been here…_Maybe_ a week."

"Well, Static is the Ability to Paralyze opponents about thirty percent of the time after either Pokemon uses a Physical attack. Perhaps that's what caused it."

"It seems probable."

"Now then," Roxanne reached into the small pocket on the back of her dress, drawing out a small golden badge, "This is the Stone Badge. You very much earned it."

Eevy took it carefully from her hand and nodded, "Thank you very much, Mistress KornerStone. It was a good battle."

"Yes, it most definitely was. But if you'll excuse me, I need to get Nosepass and Graveler to the Pokemon Center."

"Of course," Eevy nodded, "I'll be on my way there as well. Would you like to walk with me?"

* * *

"So you come from Gertan Rin?"

Eevy nodded, wandering slowly along the street beside Roxanne, "Yes. I've never really left there for any real extended amount of time until now. I went on one or two week trips to Kanto or Johto or the Orange Islands once and a while, but I've never been off the island for this long."

"That doesn't mean you're going to just go back, does it?"

"Oh, no, of course not!" Eevy waved both hands, "I'm very glad for the opportunity to come here and see how far I can go. I just…Miss everyone back home is all. And I miss the daily routine, you know?"

"Yes, I know what you mean very well. I came here from Pewter City in Kanto a long time ago. I think I've only gone back a couple of times."

"Pewter City, hm? Do you know the Granite family?"

"They run the Gym there, yes. What ever happened to the boy who ran the Gym?"

"You mean Brock. Well, if I remember correctly, he should be almost twenty now. He goes back to the Gym once and a while to check it out, and he runs it from time to time."

"I take it you know him? You seem to have a wide range of friends. You say your companions are from Pallet and Viridian, and now Brock from Pewter. Where else?"

"Cerulean, Celadon…Pretty much everywhere, actually. Which is…Scary, almost."

"I know a Gym Leader, who's from Johto. If I'm correct, he shares your last name. Are you, by any chance, related to-"

"Morty of Ecruteak," Eevy grinned, "He's my brother."

"Oh really?" Roxanne's eyes widened, "Then that would almost definitely make you-"

"Yes, that would make me that, wouldn't it?"

"Oh…My…Goodness…" Roxanne stopped and covered her mouth, staring at her, "I had no idea."

"Don't do that," Eevy groaned, "If I had known you knew who Morty's sister was, I wouldn't have told you I was her. I don't _want_ people over here to know who I am just yet."

"I can understand why, quite easily," Roxanne nodded and rushed up beside her, as she hadn't stopped, "Between the fans and the haters alone, not to mention Pokemon thieves…I won't mention it to anyone. I give you my word as a Gym Leader."

"I trust that word is a well regarded here as it is in Gertan Rin?"

"Absolutely. Your name is safe with me."

Eevy nodded once, pausing to let the automatic doors of the Pokemon Center slide open, "Thank you, Roxanne."

Nurse Joy looked up at the door, "Hello, Miss Eevy," she nodded, "Oh, and Mistress Roxanne. How good to see you."

"Hello, Nurse Joy. Have my friends decided to wake up yet?" Eevy grinned, narrowing one eye.

"Actually, no. Not just yet," Joy shrugged, sweatdropping slightly.

"The lazy bums…"

"How did your battle with Mistress Roxanne here go?"

"I'm not here for nothing, Joy," Roxanne murmured, setting her both Nosepass and Graveler's confining spheres down on the counter.

"Ah, so you won then," Joy smiled and clapped once, "Wonderful!"

"Could you do me a favor, Joy?" Eevy asked, setting both Lovo and Novo down in front of the nurse as well, "Aside from healing all four of our Pokemon here, could you watch these two for me while I'm gone? I don't want them locked up in their Poke'Balls after such a rough battle."

"Oh, I could do that for you. I could feed them and take care of them, and maybe give them someplace nice to rest," Roxanne suggested, "I'd be more than happy to."

"That'd be great. This is for Lovo, the Jolteon. And this is for Novo," Eevy pulled two jars from the bottom of her backpack, "Just give them each two or three handfuls, and they'll be fine. That really makes things easier for me."

"And me," Nurse Joy grinned.

"It's no trouble. I'd rather like to see those two up close. They're very well trained."

"As are your Nosepass and Graveler," Eevy waved one hand and wandered off toward the door, "Tell them I'll see them later. Thanks again!"

* * *

Eevy wandered along the sidewalk, kicking a rock in front of her. Stopping and looking up when the rock hit a stone step, she examined the Devon Corporation building silently. Impressed by its structure, and by the sheer size of it, she started up the steps. She raised a hand to the guards standing on either side of the main door, and after she was inside they took the liberty of staring at each other blankly.

Eevy looked around the room once she was inside. Pillars decorated with hanging photos were scattered, seemingly randomly, around the room, and fern-like plants surrounded each one. She waved off to the side at Rita, who was waiting for one of the suits she was talking with to sign the form for the plants. Other people milled about the room, either reading pamphlets or talking to someone else. She noticed numerous people in lab coats, as well as others in suits. Hm. This place must have had one serious workforce.

She popped her neck side to side and stood at the front desk, "Excuse me, please."

The young woman looked quickly up from the stack of papers on her desk, "Hello. Welcome to the Devon Corp. main office. Can I help you somehow?"

Oh how formal, Eevy grinned to herself, "I'd like to see Mister Stone, if at all possible."

"Oh, I'm very sorry, miss. Mister Stone is incredibly busy today."

"I've very much been looking forward to speaking with him. I think he would be pleased to meet with me."

"As I said, I'm very sorry. Mister Stone is a very busy man. Perhaps next week?"

"I won't be in town next week. Isn't there _any_ way I could see him today or tomorrow?"

She flipped open the dark blue book she unburied from under the papers, "He's already overbooked. You'd be lucky to catch him free for two minutes."

"Two minutes? Fine, then it'd be for two minutes. Tell me when and where and I'll be there. I'll even catch him on his bathroom break."

The receptionist giggled, "I understand your desire to meet with Mister Stone, but I'm afraid there's really nothing I can do."

Eevy sputtered and dropped her head, "Fine then."

"I'll tell you what. Do you have a Poke'Nav or a Poke'Gear or a cell number you can give me?" she winked, "If anything opens up, I'll be sure and give the first opening to you."

"I can give you the 'Nav and 'Gear numbers, but my cell refuses to work here in Hoenn. Do you have a piece of paper and a pen?"

"I remember when I first tried to get an interview here…" she shook her head as Eevy scribbled on the small sheet of paper she'd been given, "I never _did_ get to meet Mister Stone, and I interviewed with one of his assistants. Still, when he found out I'd been hired and he hadn't met me, he made it a point to come down and see me. He's a good man, and I suspect you and he would get along very well…Miss Hikoboshi."

Eevy frozen in the middle of writing a 9, "Pardon?"

"Don't seem so surprised," she leaned down into her ear, "I'm from Willow Town. Your brother's cute. It's too bad he's married. Tell Master Lance to marry you. You're adorable together."

Eevy looked up and grinned, "Even if Mister Stone can't use those numbers, hang on to them," she waved a hand, "Thanks a million!"

Stretching her arms above her head, Eevy turned and headed for the door. She passed pillar after pillar, once more waving to Rita, who was waiting for the suits to return with someone _else's_ signature. Pausing, Eevy wandered over to one of the pillars and looked onto the glass case hanging on it, the yellow gleam inside it having caught her eye. Within sat a piece of Old Amber, the backing to which was a yellowed photo. Looking to be a father and son, the boy sat on his father's knee, looking down at the same piece of golden rock. Cute kid, Eevy thought. Grinning as she read the tag and discovered that the Amber had been unearthed in the southern bogs of Gertan Rin, she sniggered and finished on her way to the door.

Sliding around from the back of the pillar, a young man watched her leave. Turning toward the Old Amber as she disappeared from sight, he stood in front of it and stared at it, in almost a daze. Around two fingers on one hand, and one on the other, he spun thick silver rings around and around. Reaching up, he fingered the red tie at his neck and tucked it tighter along the front of his pure white shirt, into his suit. Black and highlighted with violet, the elbows of which were surrounded with metal rings, it seemed something no…_Ordinary_ person would wear. His aqua-ish blue hair obscured half of his right eye, which seemed a steely blue-purple, and his black boots with violet soles were snapped together at attention as he stood.

"Master Stone?"

He turned quickly off to his side, "Yes?"

"Your father has been looking for you, sir."

* * *

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE ALREADY LEFT?!"

Nurse Joy leaned as far back in her chair as she was able to without tipping it over, "Miss Eevy already left again. She was gone the first time early this morning."

"Where'd she go?" Gary asked, banging Ash out of his way, "Did she go to the Gym?"

"Yes, she was at my Gym," Roxanne noted from behind.

"WOAH!" Ash spun frantically around, patting his chest, "Miss Roxanne…Geez…"

"Did you say Eevy was at your Gym?" Richie asked, peeking over Ash's head, "How'd she do?"

"Miss Evangelina has won my Badge."

"Really?" Gary blinked twice, "Ah nuts…She beat us."

"Since you're here, that means your Pokemon needed to be treated," Richie crossed his arms behind his head, "When will you be ready for another challenge?"

"In an hour or so," Roxanne hoisted Novo into her arms, "I just need to feed these two, and wait for Nosepass."

"You have Eevy's Pokemon?" Ash tilted his head, "Why?"

"I have only these two," she petted Novo's head and listened to him purr, "And she asked me to look after them while she went out, if they were through being healed before she came back."

"Do you know where she was heading?" Gary questioned, "I have a good mind to rat her out when she gets back."

"I believe she was on her way to Devon Corp.," Nurse Joy put in, "Perhaps she wanted to see Mister Stone?"

"If she wasn't going there, I'm sure she probably went to look around route 116," Roxanne added, putting Novo down on the bench under the window, so that he could rejoin his brother in staring out and watching for their Mistress, "She said she'd be back before it was too late out."

"I really do wish she hadn't gone alone," Ash sighed, "She's _going_ to get lost."

* * *

"I have…One _shitty_ sense of direction."

Eevy spun a Poke'Ball on the tip of her finger, traipsing aimlessly along through the knee-high grass. She wondered how many brambles would be hanging from her legs when she got out of it. Kicking a weed out of her way, she stumbled out of the leafy mess and sighed. She turned around, looking back in the opposite direction and gawking at how far she had to have walked. Or…_Was_ that the way back to Rustboro? Aww, crap; she was lost again. She sputtered, kneeling down to begin the ritual of plucking briars from her skin and clothes. She'd succeeded in removing three or four of them when the thin white line in her brain started to twang. She looked up and sniffed the air. She smelled smoke. And salt water vapor. She was heading for her feet when rustling behind her caused her to turn.

"Oh crap," she groaned.

She ducked down, and the suit-clad man who came running out from around the trees decided it would be fun to trip over her. With a series of screeches, shouts, curses and thuds, they were both laying flat on their faces on the ground. Pulling her face from the mud and spitting out leaves and dirt, Eevy proceeded in yanking him up as well.

"Hey, watch where you're running," she snorted, hauling him to his feet, "What would you have done if I was a Pokemon?"

"Sorry, sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't see you," he buzzed nervously, "You must excuse me. I absolutely must get back to town."

"Ho-ho-woah there, old man," Eevy grumbled, grabbing his coat and snapping him back, "What's the rush?"

"I need to get back to town. I have to get Officer Jenny."

Eevy rolled her eyes, pulling out her wallet and flipping it open, "I think this is just as good."

"Oh…" he held the wallet closer and pushed his glasses up to read it, "Oh, please do help me! They've…They've stolen my papers!"

"If it's just papers reprint them."

"You don't understand! These documents! They contain information on Legendary and extinct Pokemon, and on Stones! If Team Aqua and Team Magma can research them-"

"Did you say Aqua and Magma?" she raised an eyebrow as he nodded, "Wonderful…"

"Please," he clasped his hands together, "You must get the papers back from them!"

She released his collar, "Consider it done, old man. Tell me where they are."

"Inside Rusturf Tunnel," he pointed, "Just near the entrance. The pathway is blocked by rock, so they can't go much farther."

Eevy popped her knuckles, dropping a Poke'Ball to her side, "Come on, Vovo. Let's see what we can do, eh?"

"Eevee!" Vovo chirped, hopping along beside her.

Eevy stopped at the entrance to the tunnel, waiting for Vovo to catch up, "_Stay there_," she ordered back to the man, "I'll be out in a few minutes, and I don't need to go searching for you."

Stepping into the damp cave, she found Pokemon-shaped lanterns hanging along the walls to dimly light the walkway. There were no splits in the path that she could see yet, so it was nearly impossible for even her to get lost. As she came up a set of stairs, she saw the shadowed forms of two people and two Pokemon over the small rock beside her. Putting a hand down in front of Vovo, she halted them both and leaned silently around the corner.

"Listen, Miss Shelly," muttered the one clad in red and black, "You've got half the papers, and I've got half. What say we strike a deal?"

"I don't strike deals with _any_ man with a woman's name, _Tabitha_," the woman in blue and white smirked.

"Damn you, woman!" Tabitha burst, "_Give_ me the papers!"

"Hah! Go to hell!" Shelly snorted, "These papers are most important to Master Archie."

"And you _living_ isn't exactly all that important to Master Maximus, so I suggest you not play games with me."

"You do _not_ intimidate me, Tabitha James," she smiled wickedly, "You might think about switching those around."

He growled, clenching his fists, "If need be, I will _burn_ these papers and all the information on them along with them."

"You _wouldn't_."

"Would you care to bet me on that?"

Shelly snorted, "You-"

"Perhaps she wouldn't. But perhaps _I_ would. Put the papers down and get lost."

Tabitha turned his attention away from the Team Aqua Admin in front of him, "And who the hell are you?"

"I believe you know me already, Administrator Tabitha James of Team Magma. You too, Administrator Shelly Marone of Team Aqua," Eevy held her wrist behind her back and wandered slowly down the passage, "And I also believe you know better than to piss me off."

"Oh, it's you. The woman from the road outside Petalburg Woods," Shelly puffed, "How do you know who we are? What business do you have knowing our names?"

Eevy narrowed one eye, "How impolite of me. I've been sent here to battle through the League. And to demolish both Team Aqua and Team Magma."

"Demolish _us_? _You_? Oh please!" Shelly waved a hand, "You're about as intimidating as Tabby here."

"Shelly, shut your mouth," Tabitha snorted, "This woman isn't someone we should mess with. She's dangerous."

"How dangerous could someone with purple hair be?" Shelly shrugged, flipping her own bright orange locks, "Walrein, go! Ice Ball attack!"

Eevy snickered, lowering her head. The sphere of ice the huge blue seal released crashed into an invisible wall in front of her, shattering in every direction. Walrein tried twice more, with about the same success rate. Shelly growled, nearly crushing the Pokemon's Poke'Ball in her fist.

"What the hell are you?" she spat.

"One of your many nightmares," Eevy fiddled with the Bell hanging off her necklace.

"So it's true then," Shelly backed up a step, "You really _have_ come here to Hoenn. You…The one who holds the Crystal Bell, and can awaken the gods."

"Awaken the gods, you say?" Eevy shrugged one shoulder, "I'm not too sure about that…But I _do_ know one thing I can wake."

Tabitha backed away behind his Mightyena, "Shelly…Why did you have to do that? You always did _act_ before thinking."

"And you should talk?" Shelly snorted, recalling her Walrein and tripping back beside him, "_You're_ the one who joined Team Magma without asking me first."

"I don't need your permission, you damn bitch."

"I'd love to chat about just what you're talking about, but I'm getting bored," Eevy turned off to her side, to the white smoke that billowed there.

From the smoke formed a slight human form, which stood silently beside her. Vovo stood at its feet, looking up at it, and chirped. It stepped around him, and he turned to watch it walk as it stopped in front of Eevy.

"What the hell is that thing?!" Shelly raised both fists, "My meter…My meter's going nuts! What is that?!"

Tabitha backed up into the wall and held up both hands, "Master Maximus said it would be impossible for you to wake Amatsubikei already!"

"Your Master Maximus was wrong then, hm?" Eevy grinned.

"I'm out of here!" Shelly dug a smoke bomb from her pocket, "Facing disembodied souls is _not_ part of my job description!" she tapped the earpiece she wore, "Master Archie? I'm coming back!"

Tabitha watched her kick her half of the box of papers over to Eevy and throw the bomb on the floor, "And what about you?" Eevy questioned, raising an eyebrow, "Will you face me?"

"I'd be more than happy to," Tabitha smiled wickedly, "Mightyena!"

"Tabitha!"

He winced, and his Pokemon stopped charging, "Master Maximus?" he held his own earpiece closer.

"Leave the papers. Evacuate the tunnel immediately. I have better business for you to attend to besides losing your soul to a bodiless spirit."

"Losing my soul? …As you order, sir," Tabitha recalled his Mightyena, "Well, it looks like you and I will have to settle this some other time."

"Guess so," Eevy shrugged, "Good day then."

"Good day."

He nodded once, smashing his own smoke bomb to the ground and throwing her his box of papers from within the smoke. She caught it over her head, watched him disappear, and turned to leave. The ghostly form followed Eevy and Vovo along the cavern, down to the corner, and down the steps. As Eevy stepped from the tunnel, she disintegrated like any regular smoke would have, and the Bell on Eevy's necklace flared in a pale white light.

"Old man?" Eevy leaned around the trees to find him curled up and whimpering on the ground, "Hey, I've got your papers."

His head shot up, "Do you? You do! Oh, many thanks, young miss!" he took both halves of the box from her and scrambled through them, "They're all here. They're all here! Oh, miss, whatever would I have done without your help?"

"Probably gotten fired," Eevy smirked.

"Yes, that's true," he nodded frantically, "Miss, please allow me to take you to my supervisor. I'm sure he'll have a way to thank you."

"I…Really don't think I-Woah! Hey, quit pulling me!"

* * *

"…You work…At Devon Corp," Eevy stood at the bottom of the steps, staring up at the person she knew only ask "Old Man", "You've _got_ to be kidding me."

"No. Why? Is something wrong with Devon Corp?" he asked, turning to look back at her.

"No, it's just that I was just here earlier today," she shrugged, following him up and through the front doors, "So who's your supervisor?"

"I work directly for Mister Stone, but of course."

"You-Woah, wait a second," Eevy tripped to a stop, staring at him blankly, "You work for Mister Stone?"

"Of course. I'm one of his personal assistants," he grinned and nodded, "Please, follow me. I've already called and told him what you did. He greatly wishes to see you."

"Uh…Right," Eevy murmured, attempting to straighten herself out while she walked.

She waved to the girl behind the counter, who smiled wide at her and waved the paper with her numbers on it, then tucking it in her pocket. She followed her escort down the hallway to the right, then to the left and into an elevator. All the while he was jabbering his thanks, and she was pretty much ignoring him. She followed him out of the elevator to the right hallway and then to the left to follow it. All the way down to the end they went, and then into a set of escalating spiral stairs, which they skipped four or five floors of walking by using. Once they were at the top, he took her off to the left and down to a large door. He knocked twice, receiving the OK to enter.

"Young miss, I present you Mister Sullivan Stone, president of Devon Corporation."

-Chapter 8: End-

_A/N: I am such...A lazy bum. If it wasn't for Allen's almost constant nagging for the past couple months, this chapter wouldn't even be up now. Lots and lots of personal issues to work through, yes...And yeah, I used part of R/S in this chapter. Why? 'Cause I can...Anyway, hopefully I'll be able to get back to my work now. I've got a lot of stuff to put up _after_ this series, but if I don't get THIS done, THAT can never come. And that would completely suck because I like most of the later stuff better. ...Joy. Well, that's all I've got to say for now!_

-ProV  
**I again, yet, still do not own Pokemon or any affiliates thereof. ...So there. :P**


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